The Realities of a High School Celebrity
by Delyth the Storyteller
Summary: Mari Himimori has just become the center of the paparazzi's camera lens. Not only is she dating the popular idol, Asakura Fuuto, but her identity as his talented guitarist has finally been announced to the public. And, her previous life as the girlfriend of Nishiomi Isao has been revealed to her friends, but that's only the beginning of downhill spiral.-SEQUAL TO TDoaHSG!
1. Panic

**I know this is soooo late and it should've been here at the beginning of the month. I won't give any excuses other than my ADD when it comes to other things. I'll just ask for forgiveness! (bows deeply in apology) Also, this chapter was supposed to be up yesterday (Friday) but I had no internet access at my dad's home in the middle of fucking nowhere, USA. Everything was completed and edited for any possible typos (though they're still probably some in there), but I didn't have any fucking internet! (RAGES)**

 **Okay, I'm done.**

 **Thanks to everyone who read** _ **The Duties of a High School Guitarist**_ **! I'm still getting some favs/follows of that story and I'm very excited to finally have this up! This chapter takes place right after the Epilogue in TDoaHSG, but I gave a brief summary so y'all don't have to re-read the Epilogue if y'all don't want to. I know y'all've been waitin' for a long time for this and I'm happy to finally present it to the public! I will update every Friday like I used to and if for whatever reason, Saturday will be the safety net if something happens on update day.**

 **Here it is! Enjoy the chapter!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter One_

" _Panic causes tunnel vision. Calm acceptance of danger allows us to more easily assess the situation and see the options."—Simon Sinek_

A piercing silence echoed around Asahina Miwa-san's guest room in the beautiful and quite large Sunrise Residence where her twelve sons lived. Of course, now Ema-chan was a part of the family after her father married the brothers' mother so she also lived here with her overprotective squirrel, Juli. Two days have passed since the wedding reception and Mari fiddled nervously with her hands as she waited for the Asahinas, Rintarou-san, and Ema-chan to speak. She had just finished explaining how Nishiomi Isao was connected to the platinum blonde and why he had created such a terrifying reaction from her within a few minutes. There was very little time to prepare herself for such an invasion to her past, but they needed to know about it in order to help.

Thankfully, Ukyo-san kept Ami and Wataru occupied in the kitchen by teaching them how to make cupcakes from scratch. The last thing Mari wanted was for her baby sister to be exposed to such a horrid story. She had made sure that the little eleven-year-old didn't see any sort of violent situation; she wanted Ami to grow up in a peaceful environment and continue to see the world as a wonderful place. Her innocence and naivety toward reality would remain intact as long as possible if she could help it. Mari closed her eyes, the twin sapphires very dim from exhaustion and stress, and she wondered if they would ever look at her in the same away again. It was a concern well thought of for those who were raped, she knew, but surely that feeling would've vanished by now. Right?

A hand squeezed her fingers supportively, the thumb brushing small patterns along her knuckles, and she stiffened. Fuuto's mouth twitched in a tiny smirk at her forgetfulness, but the planes of his face quickly molded into a blank mask. His was nowhere near as good as his older brother Natsume was in keeping an indifferent expression, but she could always tell what was on the idol's mind even when he had the slyest of smirks on his lips. Right now, for example, he was trying not to show how unnerved he was by his family's long contemplation. The pop star also didn't want them to think that he was disgusted by his new girlfriend's regrettable past, and while she was thankful for that, she worried that it may cause a rift between him and his brothers of that were the case. After all, there were some people who had strict moral codes.

On the opposite side of her, Kyo sat on the edge of the bed with her arm wrapped around her Onee-chan's shoulder. Her black hair meshed with pale blonde as the younger sibling rested her head against Mari's. She didn't seem worried about what the rest of the Asahinas thought and that soothed a little of Mari's anxiety. Beside his girlfriend with equal parts sympathy and surprise, Niwa-sempai watched the shocked faces of those around him out the corner of his eye though most of his attention was on the blonde teenager. While she knew that Kyo told her boyfriend very personal stuff concerning their parents and life at home, Mari was taken aback that she'd kept such a huge secret from him. But, she was really grateful that he hadn't known such a dark wound marring her soul.

"Why did you hide such a horrible event from us?" Rintarou-san asked, finally breaking the silence and gaining grunts of approval from the other men. "I understand that it must have been very traumatic, but you know that I'll always be willing to help no matter the circumstance, Mari-chan."

She nodded, looking away from his intense stare and focusing on her intertwined fingers. "I know, but I didn't want to involve anyone if I could help it. I wasn't even going to press charges if it meant going public with the whole story. Ami couldn't know and I didn't want to expose my sisters to that type of publicity."

"How did you end up in court?" Natsume crossed his arms and fixed her with a ruthless glare. He was still not very fond of her even now, not that she cared either way. As far as she was concerned, he could go rot in a cave somewhere at the bottom of an ocean.

"The medic who treated me in the ambulance insisted and handled most of the legal dealings. He made sure that my lawyer knew to keep the story quiet and hold my name from the public along with any pictures of my face. I don't know how he did it since the Nishiomis are household names, but he did and I'm very thankful for his kindness."

Ema-chan piped in, tears threatening to fall from warm brown, "That's why the two of you couldn't walk with me to school for a month."

"I spent most of my time during that month playing on the guitar," Mari said, "If Kyo hadn't been so annoying about eating food then I wouldn't have left my room." She glared pointedly at her sister and nudged her with an elbow when Kyo only grinned.

"And the man who helped you? Where is he now?" Mari blinked away her tears as she glanced up to meet Masaomi-san's kind face.

"A few months after Isao's sentence was passed, he went missing for a week before the police found his body." Her breath shuddered and Fuuto's grip tightened around her fingers. "They said he'd committed suicide—even found a note with his penmanship."

Miwa-san's gasp flitted through the throng of men, her husband wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders, and Ema-chan's face bleached itself of color at the news. Hikaru and Natsume were the only two who didn't seem surprised by the information, but their siblings were thrown through another loop. Yusuke-sempai shared a glance with Iori and the two helped their overwhelmed step-sister out the window before she collapsed where she stood. It was too much for her friend to handle and Mari felt terrible that she had to hear everything at once with very little time to process. Every excuse Kyo or Mari had used to keep Ema-chan out the dark was rushing back to the surface, and it would probably take a lot of time before the brunette would be able to trust them again.

Louis waited until the three teenagers shut the door and asked, "You don't believe he would end his life."

She shook her head, "The day before he disappeared, he came to my house and visited. He didn't say anything to make me believe he was suicidal."

"You're blaming his death on the father of the son who'd raped you, I assume?" Natsume raised an eyebrow at the stubborn tilt to her jaw. She had become many things in the last few hours, but damn it if she would allow to doubt what she knew was the truth. "Have you said your theories to the police or anyone else?"

Kyo jumped in before Mari could answer, to her annoyance, "You think that Nishiomi-san will kill her if she opens her mouth."

"It's plausible that his son will do that on his own."

"Natsume!" Subaru snapped, eyes flashing in warning as he stepped out from beside his mother. "Enough, I'm sure Mari has thought of that as well. There is no need to frighten her even more."

Azusa and Tsubaki grabbed their triplet's shoulder in a firm grip before he could open his mouth to release a scathing comment. Mari knew his relationship with Subaru was very hazardous, but she never realized how awful it truly was. His eyes locked with Azusa's then Tsu's before he jerked out of their grip to storm out the room. The door slamming made everyone jumped and Miwa-san shook her head sadly.

"So, now that Nishiomi is free from prison, what's your plan?" Tsubaki asked, trying to bring the subject back under wraps, and Mari was a little unnerved by the seriousness of his tone despite the cheery glimmer in his gaze. "He knows about your relationship with Fuuto-kun and probably has your address."

Azusa nodded, "It isn't safe for you or your sisters to live by yourselves."

Miwa-san clapped her hands together, a gentle smile curving her lips, "The three of you can live at Sunrise Residence until Ukyo-san can file a restraining order."

 _As if that will stop that bastard from coming near my sisters or me._ Mari bit back her pessimism and nodded her head in gratitude. It was probably the safest thing to do rather than wait until Isao figured out their apartment complex (if he hadn't already). She wouldn't risk their lives over losing her independence, especially if her rapist was implying threats towards her baby sister. "I'm sorry for ruining such a happy moment for you two the other day." She bowed her head and Kyo followed suit quickly before she fell off the bed. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality."

"Oh, dear," Miwa-san left her husband's side and reached around her son to touch Mari's cheek. "I think of you as a part of my family, and if my child is ever endangered I will do everything within my power to ensure their safety. Now I imagine you are very exhausted after telling us such a dramatic story, so shall we leave and let you rest some more?"

She began to shoo both her children and husband out the door, and refused to give any of them time to ask any more difficult questions. As it was, Mari didn't know what else she could explain without becoming choked up. The blonde was surprised she was able to even tell the events surrounding her past relationship with Isao in the first place. Maybe it was thanks to her sister's comforting presence, or Fuuto being attached to her side and keeping her warm when she only felt numb and cold. Her heart sputtered to a freezing stop when particular memories shoved their way to the front, and if she stopped speaking for too long, Kyo was quick to pick up where she'd left off. While Kyo had been kept in the dark during the beginning, she eventually squeezed everything out of Mari before the blonde returned to school. It was good therapy to talk it out with her sister rather than her shrink, and while she had begun to shut herself down emotionally not too long after that, Kyo accepted it all with open arms.

Kyo lifted her head, endless forest eyes peering into Mari's face with a slight glazed concentration. She was reading her aura, attempting to comprehend what her erratic emotions (or lack thereof) were trying to say that her mouth couldn't. Niwa-sempai had yet to say one word and he watched the interaction with mild interest but clearly respected Mari enough to give her some breathing room. And the blonde was going to need a lot of that after sharing her secret to them. After another minute of silence passed, Kyo sighed and stood up. "We're going to check up on Ami-chan. If you need something, let us know."

Mari's hand flashed, the IV taped securely atop her hand jerked sickeningly in her skin, and halted Kyo from leaving. "Promise me something, Kyoko."

"What?" Jade met sapphire in a clash of color and the two boys watched the scene with budding curiosity now as a tiny tremble passed over Mari's hand.

The guitarist took a shuttering breath and tightened her fingers around Kyo's wrist. "No matter how annoying it is that Niwa-sempai hovers over you, I want you to become attached to his side until this gets settled." Her sister opened her mouth, a protest ready to hiss from her lips, but Mari's eyes brightened, a spark of her ferocity having returned as she snarled, "I _will not_ lose you! You hear me, Kyoko Himimori?"

Teeth gritted and brows furrowed in a scowl, Kyo nodded in understanding before pulling her wrist free. Niwa-sempai escorted the twitching petite girl away after exchanging a look with Mari. She may not know everything about the older boy, but she could clearly see his determination to protect his girlfriend to the final breath if he had to. Very melodramatic, but she wouldn't put it past him to give everything he had to ensure Kyo's safety.

Fuuto nuzzled her neck, his breath stirring a few pale strands and bringing a rise of goosebumps to her flesh, and she closed her eyes as his other hand kneaded her hip. She slid over some more on the bed to give him some room and he gladly filled the gap with his body. His arms wrapped around her waist tightly and pulled her flush against his chest. She could hear his thundering heart against her ear and the gentle rhythm of his lungs filling with air. The soft cloth of his shirt brushed against her nose with each inhale, and she sighed as his fingers wove their way through her hair, his nails pressing firmly on her scalp.

Her muscles began to loosen and she felt like she could breathe easier now as the idol continued to comb through her messy waves. She was bewildered at how weak and fragile she had become in last few hours. Where had all her spunk and independence gone? Suddenly, Isao's word came to the forefront of her mind: _"Did that little pipsqueak break you, Mari-koi? You've never been this timid before."_

As quickly as her doubt appeared, it was immediately kicked out the window and she berated herself furiously for even blaming Fuuto. It wasn't his fault that all the emotions she'd been keeping under lock and key were resurfacing. Sure, she's been dealing with anger or irritation when it came to the pop star in the past, but these feelings of concern and love for someone other than herself and her sisters were strange. She was still learning how to properly handle them and every time she thought she had a proper handle on it, Fuuto would do something that shattered all of her progress. Maybe that was normal when you felt something so strong for someone else. How could she possibly remain true to herself and still love Fuuto the same way? Her fingers bunched the fabric of his shirt in sudden panic. What if her emotional turmoil became a sure found way for Isao to tear her apart?

There was nothing that could keep her heart from resembling a black hole if something ever terrible happened to her sisters. But that wasn't true. Not anymore. There was one more person whose life she would mourn and fall into a pit of darkness if they died. Her eyes watered at just the thought. She needed to back away from Fuuto, she had to keep him safe, and if Isao was to use him to get to her…

"Stop," Fuuto murmured, lifting her chin and glaring down into a pair tearful sapphires. "Don't worry yourself into a fit or I'll be most displeased if I have to wait for another two days for you to wake up."

"Look at me, Fuuto! I can't go one minute without freaking out." God, she hated how her voice sounded like every cliché woman suffering from terrible thoughts. This wasn't some fucking drama that eventually ended in a happy ending—no, this was real life where it did everything in its power to _ruin_ her life. She couldn't enjoy the warmth of another's embrace, the laughter of her friends, or the happiness of just being _free_ to do what she wanted with her future. "Isao is going to do everything he can to break me. Either he has me or no one else can!"

"What does that matter? He won't be able to touch you."

"What does it matter?! Don't you see, you fucking baka?" Her voice cracked and the tears began to fall pass her eyelashes. "It doesn't matter how well you protect me or my sisters, Isao is the son of a CEO with numerous resources that could destroy all of your lives."

"You are panicking over things that have yet to happen." Despite how much of a fool she was acting, Fuuto kept his cool as he brushed the large droplets away with a thumb.

How could he _not_ be worried about the future? These little moments together could be one of the last they had, and he was telling her to not worry about the man that had nearly destroyed her soul? He's lost his fucking marbles if he thought she wasn't going to worry herself into creating an ulcer. "How are you—"

The shriek was caught by his mouth as he successfully shut her up and proceeded to occupy her with other thoughts. His fingers trailed down the length of her jawline to the naked divot of her collarbone. Shivers wracked her spine as he pulled away from her gasping mouth to trail kisses down her neck and quickly latched to her jugular, his favorite spot. He sucked and licked until she was a writhing, mewling mess. Who was she to question him without any consequences? She should have just trusted him to handle everything instead of questioning it all and his ability to keep her safe. Mari was beginning to realize her mistake as his hand blazed a path over her chest until it reached the bottom of her shirt. She arched her back, begging for his touch, but he refused to oblige her much to her disappointment.

His other hand continued to weave its way through her hair and she moaned as he nibbled at her neck with sharp teeth. She was unable to move herself away from him and with his hand at the back of her head, there was no way for her to pull her neck from his probing teeth. She found it hard to concentrate her thoughts into coherent sentences and at that moment, she was glad for the distraction. The passion of their love was giving her some sense of control—this heat pooling into stomach was familiar along with their combined raggedy breathing. The melting caramel hooded by a pair of thick lashes as he gazed up at her were one of the sexiest things she's seen. The way his fawn curls teased her exposed throat as his nose nuzzled at the little love bite he'd left eased the constriction of her vocal cords.

Fuuto Asahina was many things to the world—a singer, an idol, a rising pretty boy who'd one day rival the hottest stars. But to her he was so much more: a fucking tease, a jerk that always kicked her down the right the path, and a friend that had quickly changed into a lover who did everything in his power to better understand her wild emotional swings. She'd never tell him out loud, his head would only grow larger if he ever found out, but she truly _cared_ for him. Far more than just 'I _like_ him' or 'I _like, like_ him'.

"You can't…" she gasped as his teeth nipped their way back up to her lips, "Just use sex to distract me all the time."

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling in mischief, "Ah, but that's where you are wrong."

"And how's t-that so?" She groaned out the last word when his tongue licked sensually along her bottom lip.

Fuuto bypassed her lips for her forehead, his eyes closing lightly and she found the gesture more affectionate and soothing than any other peck they'd shared. "No one is ever going to make you feel the same way that I make you feel."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I'm not offering sex, baka Mari, but an outlet for your pent up emotions."

"Sexually." She raised any eyebrow.

"Not always, but since we can't go anywhere at the moment…" He shrugged and shifted her around in his arms until she rested her head on his shoulder.

She didn't say anything after his admission in favor of studying his flushed face. His eyes were burning with heat and she could see his pulse beating erratically at his neck. As much as she hated to be manipulated, in this case, Mari was very glad that he had. She closed her eyes and listened to her boyfriend breathe deeply.

He'd successfully deterred her heart from falling into a void of unadulterated panic and fear. And she was just so thankful that he hadn't thrown his hands in the air and walked away for her to handle it on her own. His way of calming her down was a little (more like _a lot_ ) different from how Kyo soothed her, but it worked.

"You won't leave?" She whispered, a little ashamed for still being afraid and keeping him from sleeping in his own bed.

Fuuto's arms tightened and his lips brushed against her temple in a silent promise. "Just sleep already."

She smiled and snuggled closer to his burning warmth. Tomorrow, she decided, she would regain her wit and strength, but for one more day she would lean on Fuuto. Tomorrow she would be able to stand on her own two feet again and face what the world had to hurl at her next. She could do it.

After all, she's done it plenty of times before.


	2. Control

_**The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Two_

" _You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."—Maya Angelou_

How could she do this to her?! What was Onee-chan thinking, thrusting her freedom into her already overprotective boyfriend's hands? While she thought Niwa-kun's need to keep her safe was rather sexy, Kyo couldn't _stand_ the fact that her life wasn't her own anymore. It shouldn't matter that she didn't like violence or her refusal to fight anyone since the emotional backlash was painful. Maybe if she didn't have this freakish oversensitivity to the feelings of others then it wouldn't matter if she inflicted injuries to another person or not. However, she kind of liked it despite the cons that came along with it. She could see what her sister couldn't express with words and knew if someone was trying to get on her good side for their own hidden vendetta. _And_ , she wasn't completely helpless either! Who else would be able better see danger than her?

Niwa-kun grasped her wrist and dragged her further down the hall, pass a startled Subaru and Kaname-san, and into a vacant room. She was practically vibrating with rage and he knew without a doubt that without an outlet she'd explode.

"Alright," he closed the door firmly behind him, "let it out, Kyoko."

Her shout of fury echoed throughout the vacant walls and he winced as his eardrums rang in discomfort. She broke through two different octaves in the span of one second and her eyes were like the furious crackling of a forest fire as she raved. Niwa-kun leaned back against the door, watching her pace from the window to the opposite wall in silence.

"I may not be as tough as her, but damn it, I'm not _weak_ either!" Kyo slapped the window sill and grumbled incoherently as she glared outside. The bright atmosphere beaming down on the mansion was completely at odds with her rage and it only succeeded in fanning the flame blazing inside her blood. "How Onee-chan's problems be flipped around to focus back on us? She's so _impossible!_ Nishiomi Isao is free and she's suffering, but she'll make it all about Ami-chan and me. I don't understand her ridiculous logic!"

"You two are her whole world, Kyoko," Niwa-kun said, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her back to his chest. She struggled at first, not wanting anyone to touch her at the moment, and her nails dug painfully into his forearms before admitting defeat. Her head fell back and he jerked his chin away at the last minute. "How do you think she'd feel if something happened to you?"

"She shouldn't _just_ worry about us though, Niwa-kun." She closed her eyes and sighed, her anger leaving as she basked in her boyfriend's tranquility. It wasn't fair how he could make her feel so childish in her fury or how easy it was for him to calm her down. Shouldn't she remain livid for longer than three minutes? "Onee-chan needs to be concerned about her health, too. She's going to try to push everyone way like she did last time."

"Last time?"

"After…after she was raped, Onee-chan became a lot quieter. She wouldn't talk to me or Ami-chan unless we initiated the conversation first. I thought she just needed space to come to terms with what happened, but when news of Asaki-san's death came, Onee-chan was never the same. Sure, she'd take care of us and try to everything her power to keep us happy, but I knew she was keeping us at an arm's length." Kyo clutched at his wrist and Niwa-kun kissed her cheek. "She was terrified that we would have an 'accident' as well, but we didn't know the whole story so we were fine. And, that's what going to happen now. She's going to push Fuuto-kun and then us."

"That is where I think you're wrong, Kyoko." He grinned, turning the petite girl around in his arms to cup her cheek. "You've seen Asahina's aura—you know that he's not going to let Himimori-san do that. If anything he'll probably tie her down to his bed."

A small giggle escaped from her lips and his smile widened at the sweet sound. "Now, that you're done throwing a fit," a harsh slap to his chest and a flush of rose flowing across Kyo's cheeks, "shall we go check up on the little ones?"

 **~o~**

Mari understood that her life as well as her sisters would no longer be private since her identity was revealed, but now it would be a miracle if any of them could step outside long enough without one of the Asahinas blowing a gasket. Given that Ami tended to stay inside the giant house to play with her friend, both Kyo and the blonde were placed under a tighter leash. Which, to say the very least, annoyed both teenagers immensely. As it was, Mari knew that she needed to be especially careful now since Isao was on the loose, but did she really need someone to accompany her while she walked through the gardens? Or have lectures about running if she felt cornered every time Ukyo-san and Kaname got a hold of her? She could take the endless teasing from Tsubaki ("It feels like you're really a part of the family now, Future Imoto-chan!"), but Mari could go without the scathing arguments about her life.

Speaking of which, she was currently livid at Fuuto for the most recent "debate" they had about her remaining in school. She needed to attend in order to get a job if for whatever reason her gig as Fuuto's guitarist was to collapse. Her sisters' welfare came above everything else and that included her dreams to share her music with the world. Of course, Fuuto had gotten upset that she refused to see that neither of her sisters would be able to survive without her if she kept throwing herself out to the wolves. This remark led into very dangerous territory that neither teenager nor family member had ever explored before, and the newest discovery showcased her fiery temper that had become absent the last few days.

It was both a relief and a terror that her feisty personality was returning to the Asahina brothers and Mari's sisters. Ema-chan was grinning from ear-to-ear as the yelling match continued (now that she thought about it, the brunette was all quick to solve any dispute) and Kyo was practically beaming right along beside her. At the time, Mari was too focused on telling Fuuto to fuck off and that she could take care of herself without having someone breathing down her neck 24/7. It was bad enough that everyone insisted that she remain in bed until Masaomi-san gave her the okay. She found being locked up in a boring room the worse possible torture man could think of. Ami was her saving grace along with cheerful talks with Wataru, but for the most part she was just dying of boredom.

And now he expected her to just drop her high school education just because her fucking rapist appeared? Sure she was terrified of him and the control he had over their lives, but damn it, she was going to live like he never existed. Not the smartest plan our heroine created, but it was something she needed. While school was the second most torturous thing to exist, it had a sense of normalcy that she'd been lacking the past few weeks. There she was just Himimori Mari that happened to be dating the most popular boy-slash-idol in their school. While the attention was mainly negative and there were many who would rather see her fall into depression, she found it a small comfort. Nothing about the past or her next concert mattered to her peers. It was just them against her for the attention of their beloved Fuuto-sama.

She shook her head. Just why was she fawning over that fucking overprotective bastard? Sure, she thrust Kyo under her Niwa-sempai's wing for protection, but her sister couldn't possibly hurt anyone else without causing a backlash to her own mental health. Was she being a hypocrite? Yes. Did she need to take about her demands that Kyo stay attached to Niwa-sempai's hip? Probably. She'll admit that she was wrong to order her sister around like that when she couldn't handle it herself. As far as she was concerned, all men could get rid of that fucking image of women being fragile and needing their protection. She snorted, if anything the men needed the women in order to balance out their emotional constipation.

"I can't even calm down after climbing this damn tree," she grumbled, completely put out with the world. "Just what the hell is up with me? I either get so damn angry at Fuuto or I practically panic over his stupid health."

"You are in love."

Mari yelped, her grip on the branch above her head loosening just enough for her to lose her balance. She squeezed her eyes shut as bright green rushed up to meet her, but her nose smacked into something warm and soft yet hard at the same time. Swirling oceans widened as they met pale jade. Iori shifted her in his arms until she was able to stand on her two feet, an apologetic smile gracing his thin lips. She always found him to be so calm no matter what the situation, his persona almost like the beautiful flowers he looked after, and those eyes of his were sharp. His observance was astounding and while her sister enjoyed his company, Mari couldn't handle being alone with him. Maybe it was because his eyes never missed anything or it could've been that his quiet calm was the complete opposite of her fiery temper.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," Iori said, looking her up and down for any possible bruises. "I was just passing by and happened hear what you were saying."

"Well," Mari looked away, her face flushed. "Uh, thanks for catching me. I'm not normally this klutzy."

He shook his head, "Not at all. You have been under a lot of stress as of later. Moreover, we have most likely caused you some hardship as well."

At her silence, he gave a small chuckle. "I'm sorry that we've metaphorically robbed you of your freedom, but we only wish to ensure your safety. Is that such a terrible thing to wish for?"

"Why are you talking to me about this so suddenly?"

"Mari-san, you've always relied on yourself when it came to your sisters' care, but now more and more people are stepping in to help." Iori placed his hands in his pockets, his eyes finally leaving her face to stare off into the distance. "And, now your ex-boyfriend has shown up to throw your life completely upside down. While I understand that it must be hard to expose your heart so suddenly like this, I believe that you holding all your emotion is not the right way to handle the situation."

Thin eyebrows furrowed into a scowl and her eyes narrowed at the same words Kyo had said to her weeks ago. "I'm not bottling up my feelings, Iori."

A silver brow rose up and those pale eyes locked onto her face once more. "If you cannot understand the basic feeling of love—concern, panic, and fear of losing your loved one—then maybe it is not my place to sort out your Pandora's Box. Fortunately, you have Kyoko-san to guide you through the ordeal." He nodded his head politely and turn on his heel, clearly finished with their conversation. And Mari couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed by his rational thinking.

She watched him walk into the main lobby of the mansion and continued to stare until the sun was beginning to set. Her mind rushed with countless thoughts at the short talk she had with the flower boy, but she always ended up back where she started. Maybe he was right that she desperately needed help when it came to sorting through her emotions, but if there was anything she was most apprehensive of was her loss of control. Fuuto had torn whatever plans and hopes she had for the future to shreds when he broke down her heart's walls, and now Isao was throwing her through a loop. God, it was just so confusing. She wanted to be able to understand what her heart was trying to tell her, but she was also terrified of being hurt again. Whether by Fuuto or Isao, it didn't matter, either one had the power to shatter her soul in a million pieces.

Mari sighed, "There's no point in worrying myself sick outside."

"No, there is not." She gasped as Fuuto grabbed her wrist and yanked her to his chest. Platinum locks billowed out behind her as she tripped over her own feet and into the pop star's arms. His fingers jerked her chin up and the next thing she knows, he's stealing the breath from her lungs. But just as quickly as the kiss began, it ended with a parting gasp of uncontrollable annoyance that left her lips swollen and gums bleeding from their teeth clacking together. Gasping, he pulled her under his arm with a crushing grip and proceeded to drag her to the front door. "This is why you can't stay by yourself, baka Mari. You cause trouble and nearly injure yourself."

"Acting concern doesn't suit you," she mumbled, a rush of rouge dying her cheeks. "Did Iori tell you that I fell out of the tree? Traitor."

Fuuto growled wordlessly and pulled them to a stop just in front of the glass doors. "I get it if you don't like me hovering, but I—!"

She stiffened at the soft crack in his voice and peered up into his eyes to see a slight glassy gleam to them. Caramel drops swam in a small pool and thick lashes were the only obstacle keeping them at bay. _Just what brought this all on?! He wasn't like this before when I left!_ "Fuuto…?"

"I can't lose you."


	3. Love

_**The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Three_

" _You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back."—Barbara de Angelis_

Mari ignored the collective stares from her fellow peers as she stepped out of the limousine with both Fuuto and Kyo. While most of the girls were sharing envious glares and began their daily round of grumbling, Fuuto wrapped an arm around her shoulder as Kyo sprinted ahead to look for Niwa-sempai. She looked out the corner of her eye and saw Kuroki watching their public affection with a red face, but there was a slight glint in the petite redhead's eye that Mari didn't like. In the end, she shrugged it off and continued her way inside the gates without wanting to maul her sister and Fuuto when she got the chance.

She couldn't believe that they were making such a huge fuss on how she got to school. Seriously? A damn limo? The blonde nearly had a conniption when she heard that Manager-san had specifically insisted that she ride in it for her own safety. She would have rather walked like she normally did than take that damn thing. However, no one was on her side and with an irritated huff, she allowed the driver to help her in and kept the killing rage down to a minimum. She would let them fuss over her if it meant they'd give her some sense of peace, but at the moment, all she wanted to do was throw a fit at being treated like a rare caged bird. She huffed, it was especially the pop star's fault for all of this happening. How could he doubt her ability to protect herself after one _small_ mishap? He was supposed to back her up when no one else did—not turn around and _demand_ that she follow his instructions.

Ever since he confessed to her a few days ago, he'd become more protective of her and it showed in each little action he did. Maybe Isao showing up at the wedding so easily had really shaken him, and her sudden fainting hadn't really helped the situation either. But, to think he'd go this far just to ensure he never had to see her so limp and weak in his arms was a bit of a stretch. She tilted her head to glance at Fuuto out the corner of her eye with a curious glint. That day still played around in her mind and even echoed in her dreams.

The words were whispered in a soft plea and she hadn't been sure if she heard him correctly, but his eyes couldn't lie to her, not after everything she'd seen within those bright depths. It didn't matter how much of a sociopath he was or how perfect his indifferent mask was—Mari could always tell what he was truly thinking. And, right then he was beyond a state of panic as he had tightened his grip and pulled her into his chest. Her ear had immediately picked up the pounding beat of his heart and lustrous sapphires widened in surprise as his breath whizzed by her neck in one long blow. She'd never seen him like this and it both stunned and flattered her.

Don't get her wrong, she had hated to see him in such a state, but the fact it was over _her_ instantly assured her of his feelings. His arms were like tiny vices along her ribcage and while he didn't say anything more, she knew what he was trying to convey with just his body alone. Mari had wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and doing her best to share some of his fear. She had ignored the slight wetness sliding down the cool flesh of her shoulder and hummed the first song that came to her mind. How ironic that the lullaby he'd been serenading her with the past few weeks was being using in this situation. It had such a calming melody and the soft tones drifting from the guitar had always eased her heart. Given that she wasn't a musical instrument, Mari had done her best to convey the soft quality with her voice.

While she knew that he wouldn't want to show any weakness or reveal his vulnerable heart, the blonde decided that he could be hypocrite while she tried to come out of her shell. After all, the woman was supposed to support the man emotionally when it came to certain things, and while she had been learning this, Fuuto had become the emotional pillar. He kept her stable while she floundered around like an idiot in the dark. Despite his impatient nature, he had held out his hand patiently and waited for her to find her way to him.

"You better not be teasing me right now," Mari muttered, her fingers digging slightly into his shoulders. Her eyes closed and she breathed in his sweet scent while he tried to calm down.

She shook along with his soft laughter and nearly whined when he pulled away to stare down at her behind a pair of thick lashes. "And if I was? What're you going to do about it?"

Her eyes darkened along with his and Fuuto leaned down until their foreheads brushed. "You think you're the only one allowed to dish out punishments?"

The pop star pulled away with a smirk, suddenly satisfied for some odd reason (did he just like the thought of her grounding him or something?), and proceeded to lead them inside the Sunrise Residence like he hadn't a mental breakdown. Hypocrite, indeed. She had refrained from mentioning his still quivering fingers and rested her head against his shoulder while they waited inside the elevator to take them to the main floor. She wouldn't have been surprised if everyone had seen their little interaction, but kept this to herself as well. The less Fuuto knew about how he easy was to read the better off she'd be.

"Mind telling me why you decided to climb the tree in the first place?"

"To blow off some steam. It's gets real stifling in that room."

Her confession had led them to argue about her being reckless which caused them to come this little compromise. To Mari, it was far from any equal compromise and she had to work to keep from saying something rash. He was just doing what he thought would help her out, but did she really need to take a _limousine_ to school every fucking morning? That was borderline ridiculous. Of course everyone else disagreed with her, saying that it was better to show how hard it'll be to snatch her if she's surrounded. She wasn't a fool; however, and knew full well that just because she had all this protection it doesn't mean that she was invincible. There were ways for people as determined as she knew Isao was to get around the highest of walls.

She sighed as she plopped down in her desk, completely put out with the current circumstances. Sleeping in a new house with a strange bed was going to be difficult for a while, and waking up to more than just her and her sisters would take some getting used to. If it weren't for all the men that lived in that mansion then she'd be perfectly content, but that wasn't the case when they practically screamed noise and nosiness. Mainly, Tsu and Kaname were the source of her strife and they cared very little of her personal bubble. With Tsu she didn't too much care since they truly like older brother and younger sister, but the wannabe monk tested her patience with his sly innuendos and flirty winks. Fuuto even threatened his older brother if he didn't stop messing around his girl, and while she found the incident somewhat amusing, she didn't miss the slight glint of approval in Kaname's eye.

On more than one occasion, the blonde had a feeling that Fuuto's brother were pushing him into revealing just how much he cared for her. They were subtle hints at first, but now they were blatantly shoving him down a path he seemed a little hesitant to face. What she liked the most about him was that while he didn't like being pushed out of his comfort zone, the pop star was trying to accommodate her feelings. Even without the older Asahinas' help, Mari knew that Fuuto did indeed care. The tiniest of things he did for her never went unnoticed and while she was angry at him for pushing her into a corner, he also made sure she had plenty of room to move. His brothers wanted to keep her from going to school for a while until they knew just what Isao planned, but Fuuto had deterred them into keeping her from attending after all the shit she'd been through. Given that she had practically fought and proven her determination to attend after the Kuroki incident, it would make her look weak after all that had happened.

"If you continue to frown, you'll have wrinkles before you are twenty," Fuuto said, sitting comfortably across from her.

She turned her head and met his eyes with a childish pout. "If you hadn't noticed, I tend to always walk around with a scowl on my face."

"Not always."

A blonde eyebrow rose to her hairline, incredulous sapphire sparking as she stared at him questionably. "And how do _you_ know that?"

"You glare and frown to keep annoying pests from bothering you or Kyoko. When the two of you are alone, there's a hint of a smile on your lips as you listen to her talk about her day." His smirk twitched into place and he leaned forward a bit in the chair, those caramel drops warming considerably. "When you walked Ami-chan to elementary, you had the biggest grin on your face and you laughed whenever she did. If that stupid woman was speaking to Kyoko about something or other, your face would perk up in interest."

She fought back the smile that wanted to pull her lips upwards and remained stern at how easily he described the times he hadn't been around her to know all her facial expressions. "Are you going to be one of those crazy stalker boyfriends?"

"You just don't pay attention," he chuckled.

 _Well, now I know why you always seem to appear out of fucking nowhere. You're a stalker-san._ The grin took over her face despite her best effort and her heart seemed to lift a little from the stress induced dome.

 **~o~**

"Today class we have a new student," sensei said as he indicated a tall, lithe boy with messy ebony strands and the brightest cherry eyes Aiko had ever seen. The redhead hadn't been paying to her friends' current gossip this morning, she was too focused on the curious events that had happened at Miwa-san's wedding several days ago. She saw the way how that blonde bitch had acted when she saw that brunette hunk enter the garden, and the redhead was sure that he would offer a healthy dose of revenge when she found out just _how_ he was connected to Himimori Mari. That is, until she looked up from her plotting to see the new guy.

He appeared more perfect than her precious Fuuto-sama with long legs and arms with hands that appeared delicate but had traces of rough skin. His face had to be carved by the legendary artist it was so perfect. Long lashes framed those bewitching strawberry eyes with very expressive dark brows sitting just above them. A squared jawline full of masculinity with a narrow nose leading down to olive lips. She didn't find naturally dark toned men cute at all, but this boy was just between pale and olive that made her heart flutter. Especially when she noticed just how _smooth_ his skin was. The school must have stumbled upon a god pretending to be a mortal in order to test their loyalty because there was no way such a man existed on this earth. And she wasn't one to think such cliché things about cute boys unless it was her Fuuto-sama. The redhead eyed him with barely contained enthusiasm as she waited for him to speak.

"Go on and introduce yourself." Aiko leaned forward in her chair, anticipation making her impatient.

The black-haired god smiled, revealing a pair of dimples, and bowed to the class in one graceful move. "Hello, my name is Fujiro Daisuke. Please help look after me."

Aiko bit her lip to halt the sigh that wanted to fall into harmony with the rest of her classmates. The boys appeared slightly annoyed that another good looking guy had stolen the female population from glancing their way, but a few were very interested in the possibility of him joining one of their athletic clubs. She watched him as he followed the sensei's instructions and sat just to the left and slightly behind her. His eyes met hers as he passed and she swore to God that he gave her a once over as he headed to his seat. The redhead had never felt this flustered by the opposite sex since Fuuto-sama made his debut, and she couldn't let herself be tempted when her heart was only for the idol.

She willed her cheeks to cool at having him glance at her like that and picked up her pencil to take notes. No matter how cute or sexy Fujiro Daisuke was, Aiko would not let him distract her from her original goal. With that in her mind, the petite redhead listened intently to her teacher's lecture on human anatomy and tried not to think too much about the pair of bright sakura orbs drilling holes into her back.

By the time the bell rang for their break, she was at her wits end with the new boy. The entire class period she could feel him staring at her with such intensity, she thought for sure her body would dissolve into a puff of smoke. Her friends surrounded her desk, their mouths going a mile a minute and making her feel like the center of a giant beehive. There was so much buzzing going on in her ear that she felt a little light headed, but shook it off as her lack of sleep from nursing her grandfather. He'd been getting sicker as of late and she found it extremely difficult to sleep when her parents were arguing over what was the best treatment for Grandpa. The cancer had begun to spread from his hands and the doctors said that radiation may help but it was very slim.

Aiko blinked. Why was she suddenly thinking about Grandpa when she could be plotting her revenge for Himimori Mari? Powder blue hardened into icy chips as she demanded her friends be silent for a minute. How could anyone think when they're buzzing around her about this and that? She stood up from her desk and led the way out to the hall. Anything to get away from those iridescent eyes and powerful aurora.


	4. Stress

**A/N: This is a short chapter and I sincerely apologize for it. I would have written more if I had the time, but I have to get ready to head to land where no wifi exists and I needed to upload this before I left. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this rather short chapter and I can already tell y'all that Chapter 5 will be longer than this one. Thanks for reading! (Also, I'm sorry for any typos or mistakes I made! I am only human after all XD)**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Four_

" _Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy, and rewarding life."—Marilu Henner_

"For the last time, Tsubaki," Mari said, pinching the bridge of her nose for patience, "I'm not going to your stupid voice acting thing or whatever the hell it is."

He had the decency to pout like a five-year-old at her harsh rejection and the blonde rolled her eyes as Tsu began to whine to his twin. Ema-chan and Yusuke-sempai had already agreed to go with the twins for their new game's title announcement, and the blonde couldn't begin to fathom why she had to come too. Who the hell wanted to be triple third wheel? As far she was concerned, the boys could have it without her involvement because she had enough on her plate as it was. She felt a little bad that Ema-chan would have to face the brothers' awkward wooing, but they had a concert to prepare for in less than three days.

Fuuto was already on her ass for not taking the time to practice the newest song, but in her defense, she was kinda busy trying to keep his wandering hands to himself _so she could fucking practice._ He had to be the horniest damn idol on this fucking planet. Mari didn't care if a lot shit had been happening to her or that he was trying to be a pillar for certain bullshit that threatened to weigh her down, but _fuck_ she needed some God damn space every once in a while. Hence, her room had become a "no boys allowed" sanctuary for the time being. The only Asahina that was allowed in her safe haven was Masaomi-san or Ukyo-san, and even this privilege was shared very sparingly.

And, this was exactly _why_ she had set boundaries.

"Future Imoto-chan, you should get out of the house every once in a while," Tsu said, trying to take a different approach to the argument.

With one blonde eyebrow raised, she replied, "I will when Fuuto isn't snapping at me to learn this song and the rest of you'll quit distracting me. I would very much like to keep my job, thank you."

Mari ignored Tsu and proceeded to leave the living room only to be slowed drastically by the voice actor's arms wrapping around her leg. Growling, she swatted at him and began to threaten his precious vocal chords if he didn't release her this instant. Azusa, bless his soul, came to her aid and jerked the man by his white locks like it was a normal thing between the two. She quickly made her escape, running up the stairs, and grinning from ear-to-ear at the white-haired man's complaints on his unforgiving brother's punishments. Since the three sisters moved in, most of the brothers were very careful around them, like if they went back into their typical habits the sisters would high tail it out of there. Mari wasn't at all bewildered by the thought of sharing a home with the eleven brothers since Ema-chan could handle it when she was the only woman living here. But, then again, maybe she should be a little worried since the brunette looked over a lot of things that the men did.

She should be even more concerned since Ami and Kyo were exposed to a high level of male testosterone that it was stifling. Even when Kyo brought over Niwa-sempai for the first time since the move in, the blonde was sure that the four girls would suffocate as the men officially sized each other up. This was on a completely different level because Kyo was now under their care in their house and Niwa-sempai was Yusuke-sempai's age and friend so, of course, they'll be suspicious. What annoyed her the most about that particular visit was Kaname's need to tease the couple with sexual innuendos. She didn't have time to tell him off for his unruly behavior because Ukyo-san was quick to dish out a social lashing in front of them all. When she related the story to Fuuto the next day at practice, the pop star was disappointed that he'd missed the lawyer finally explode.

Thank God, Ami hadn't been the room at the time, otherwise, the little girl would've been too terrified to go near her adopted brother. Poor Ukyo-san wouldn't have a cute cooking assistant anymore, but she was sure that Ami would eventually get over it and come back to the kitchen to help her Onii-san. Now that she was thinking about the younger blonde, Mari hadn't seen her since she got home from the store with Ema-chan two hours ago. She frowned, turning on her heel and heading the opposite direction of her bedroom. Could she be in Wataru's room playing with his vast toys again? They tended to lose themselves in the little Asahina's playroom, but normally Ami would've been down for some kind of snack.

She reached Wataru's door and immediately felt her stomach drop at the lack of sound coming from it. She knew that neither child was in there, but she needed to be a hundred percent sure before she started to panic. Her knuckles rapped lightly on the door before she twisted the knob. The door opened easily despite how most of the boys kept their rooms locked for their own privacy and her heart thudded loudly in her ears. Wide sapphires peered through the tiny sliver, stuffed animals and pillows were scatted along the floor and Wataru's bed had three tins full to the brim with candy. No wonder he was always full of energy, he ate so much chocolate that it was practically gas fuel to a car. She pushed the door open the rest of the way and searched every nook and cranny for the two youngsters with piercing cobalt.

"Could they be out in the backyard, maybe?" Mari moved to the window, hoping beyond hope that she would see the two of them running around the back garden. She shoved the glass pane up with enough force that it groaned in warning, and her brows furrowed in concentration as she practically hung out the window to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"Mari-san, what the hell are you doing?"

She yelped, bumping her head on the windowsill and nearly falling out the window at the same time. Luckily, she caught herself before gravity could take hold of her forward momentum and twisted around to fix raging oceans on the lone redhead. He raised a brow in reply, having gotten used to her piercing glares and sharp tongue.

"I was looking for Ami and Wataru."

"While hanging outside the window?"

"I wanted to see if they were in the back garden playing, asshole. You nearly made me fall!" She slapped imaginary dust off her shirt and refused to show how embarrassing she was at being caught in such a position. The blonde cleared her throat, "Anyway, have you seen them lately?"

He shrugged, not really worried over the matter, "I haven't seen them since I've gotten home."

Mari snarled wordlessly and stalked out the room. "You're no help then."

Yusuke-sempai snatched her arm, only flinched slightly when her other raised in preparation to punch him. "Why're you getting so worked up? They could be anywhere in the mansion. Wataru probably took her for a tour."

"And are you sure that he would do that?"

"W-well, I mean," he stuttered, suddenly uncomfortable. "Wataru knows better than to go outside the grounds."

She jerked her arm free and said, "Does he normally go anywhere without adult supervision?"

Just as the redhead was about to answer, the two were interrupted by Juli screeching around the corner with Kyo hot on the squirrel's heels. For whatever reason, the gray rat had decided that Mari was the perfect shield from the raging raven-haired teenager and climbed his way up her leg to her shoulders. He hid behind her hair and began to squeak loudly in her eardrum as if trying to defend himself from being killed. Mari held out her foot unceremoniously and braced herself against the doorframe as Kyo desperately tried to stop. Unfortunately, the petite girl ran full force into her sister's heel and reeled back with a pitiful wheeze. Startled by the harsh treatment, Yusuke-sempai ran over to her side and tried to figure out what was the best way to help, but only proceeded to scream nonsense at Mari.

The blonde rolled her eyes, Kyoko had been hit with a lot worse and she had been sure to lower her foot at the last second. She wasn't so cruel as to allow her sister to run full tilt into her foot with her abdomen. "Stop pretending like you can't breathe and begin explaining why I have a fucking fur ball on my shoulders."

Kyo rubbed her waist where the buttons of her jeans had dug into her skin and scowled, "He ate all of my pistachios!"

She raised an eyebrow, momentarily forgetting about Ami and Wataru being MIA, and focused her attention on the small squirrel. "I didn't realize he could eat a whole box. Where the hell does it all go?"

"I don't know or care, but he could've at least _left some for me!_ "

The fact that her sister was losing her shit over a bag of pistachios that she could get another one from the kitchen was dumbfounding. What was even more ridiculous was the fact that Kyo would've been okay with Juli eating said pistachios if he had _shared._ She didn't know whether to be disgusted or awed by her sister's willingness to understand all living creatures. It was one trait she was very glad that they didn't share. Exasperated, the blonde grabbed the pink ribbon wrapped in a pretty bow around the squirrel's neck and tossed it to her sister who caught it with a short cry of surprise. Poor Juli was too grateful for Kyo's prompt catch to worry about a punishment.

"Go get another bag from the pantry and give him about half a bowl full." Mari waved her hand at Yusuke-sempai's confusion. "This trivial matter isn't worth my brain cells at the moment. I need to figure out where Ami and Wataru are."

"Ami-chan and Wataru-kun? Aren't they inside the house somewhere?" Kyo asked, shifting Juli around in her hands so he could clamor up her arm. "I thought I heard them running down the stairs a few hours ago."

"If they're in this big ass mansion then you'd be able to hear them." Yusuke-sempai crossed his arms, having finally gathered his wits for the sake of figuring out this mystery. "So, that means they have to be outside."

The blonde was already halfway down the hall when the last word left the redhead's mouth and she didn't pause when Kyo and Yusuke-sempai were quick to follow. Her sister was noted wryly that Mari wouldn't tell anyone what she was about to do even if there was a gunman standing right in front of her. No doubt, the blonde would think of something that would leave the rest of her party both dubious and terrified of what was about to happen. All that mattered to her right then was finding the two youngsters before something horrible befell them, and Lord knows how much trouble they'd be in if the two really did leave the Sunset Mansion grounds.


	5. Children

**I am so terribly sorry that this chapter is so late, y'all. I meant to update this Saturday since I was so busy Friday and completely forgot. And since I was in such a rush to update this chapter, I didn't check as well for any typos or mistakes so please overlook those to the best of your abilities. I also hope it makes sense enough in some of the sentences that you can follow what's happening.**

 **Okay, good news! I have been getting a lot of favorites and follows on both of these stories! Thanks to everyone who did and left a review! I'm really glad that everyone is liking it, especially this book since I'm kinda worried about how y'all react with future chapters and keeping Fuuto from appearing too OOC. Anyway, it's going to get good later on! I can't wait to write those chapters! :D**

 **Again, I'm sorry for the late update and hope y'all enjoy this chapter!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Five_

" _Raising children uses every bit of your being—your heart, your time, your patience, your foresight, your intuition to protect them, and you have to use all this while trying to figure out how to discipline them."—Nicole Ari Parker_

"Wata-chan, are you sure this is really okay?"

The slightly older child tilted his head in thought a moment as they waited at the crosswalk. "I always go to the park with my brothers, and you'll be safe with me, Ami-chan!" He smiled brightly, sweet honey gold brimming with happiness.

Ami wasn't as confident as her best friend, but she refused to ruin his fun just because she was being a baby. Her sisters wouldn't worry too much since Wata-chan was with her and he knew the neighborhood better than anyone. She nodded assuredly to herself as the light changed for them to walk. They were just going to the park that was a few blocks from the house and Wata-chan said that they had the coolest jungle gym she would ever see. It was even better than the one their school had and Ami couldn't pass the opportunity to check it out.

She glanced up at Wata-chan in sudden thought as he squeezed her hand in excitement. Now that she thought about it, he'd gotten taller than her the pass couple of months and his hand dwarfed hers a lot more now. Her eyes took in their intertwined fingers, suddenly unsure of their close relationship. Kyo-nee told her a few days ago that she was getting old enough to start liking boys more than just friends. While the youngest Himimori was pretty skeptical about the conversation and the coy wink her sister gave, she wondered if that was why her two sisters were staying very close to Niwa-nii and Fuuto-sama lately. Wata-chan was always by her side, even at school, and he was the first one to ask her if she wanted to play or if she wanted some candy.

He probably did all of this out the fact that she was a guest in his home and one of his friends, but a tiny part of her didn't think that was the complete truth. She shook her head, Wata-chan didn't like- _like_ her. They were just two peas in a pod and nothing more. Besides, boys in general were a little weird. Especially Tsu-chan and Kana-nii. They always made Ema-nee red in the face whenever they talked to her and Onee-tan would start speaking in that voice whenever she got in trouble. A tiny shuddered wracked her spine. Onee-tan was pretty scary when she got angry.

"Are you alright, Ami-chan?" Wata-chan asked, stopping to look her up and down with a frown. A few adults stared at the pair as they walked around them and Ami felt a little exposed standing in the middle of the sidewalk. She nodded at her friend and grinned reassuringly, not wanting to ruin his good mood. "You sure?"

"Oh yes! I just can't wait to get there is all."

"Me too! We're almost there!" He tugged on her hand and they were off once again.

 _I hope Onee-tan isn't making herself sick. I did make Wata-chan leave a note on the notice board before we left._ She skipped beside Wata-chan, her mood uplifting at the reassuring note they'd left. Surely her sister and the others would see it. There was no reason for anyone to panic if the two had informed their older siblings where they were heading. It was all gonna be okay.

 **~o~**

Mari was at her wits end and if the others hadn't forced her to sit down in the loft then she would've collapsed by now. Ami and Wataru were nowhere to be found in the giant ass house and they'd checked every single fucking room more than once! She fisted her hands in her hair, a panic so fierce taking ahold of her heart and refusing to release it. Her entire body was wound tighter than a metal cable and she was sure her bones would snap clean in half if someone didn't give her some good news soon. Kyo had even searched for their aura despite how exhausting it was to spread her mental sight so thin.

Niwa-sempai had come by in amidst the chaos and nearly had his head ripped off by a snarling blonde guitarist. She hadn't mean to take out her frustration on him or anyone else, but it passed her lips before she could stop herself. To the dark haired boy's credit, he didn't snap back and only raised a brow in sardonic question at her hostility. With her sister and Ema-chan's help, they got her to settle down a little bit while Masaomi-san caught the boy up to speed. The minute Niwa-sempai heard that the two youngest were missing, he had his phone out and began dialing. She wasn't sure what he was doing, but let him be as he started giving orders to someone on the other line. Kyo had told her once that he had a lot of connections due to his uncle's job and was probably asking some help in searching the neighborhood since it was obvious the two had run off.

But, the blonde couldn't understand why Ami would do such thing when she knows better. She had made sure the little girl knew that she was never to leave the grounds unless one of them were with her. Maybe Wataru had convinced the younger blonde to leave with him and just as the righteous anger appeared at the baby Asahina's foolishness it quickly vanished. It wasn't the child's fault nor was it Ami's for going. She couldn't blame two children who were still incredibly naïve about the world and its dangers. They only wanted to have fun and get away from tensions that they had no idea was truly about in the house. If anything, Mari and the rest were at fault for not keeping an eye on them.

"Himimori-san," Niwa-kun touched her shoulder and she lifted her head to stare at him. "My friends are out searching for them. They'll call immediately if they find them."

She nodded, "Thank you for the help."

Kyo entered the living room, her hand clutching a pink sheet of paper and an almost ashen complexion taking over her face. Not too far behind her were the twins and Ema-chan who looked just as shaken as the raven-haired girl. Instantly, Mari's stomach dropped to the floor where it stayed like a heavy weight, and she didn't have the heart to move her gaze away from the tiny notebook paper. Just what was written that could cause her sister's normally upbeat attitude to deplete so quickly?

"What's that, Kyoko?" Niwa-sempai went to her side immediately, touching the petite girl's arm.

"It's a note from the kids," Tsu said grimly, violet eyes darkening.

Azusa nodded, adjusting his specs with a hand, "Apparently, they left the house for the park."

"Where? There's at least a dozen in just this neighborhood!"

"Doesn't say on the note, I'm afraid. But it is Wataru's handwriting."

Mari wanted to howl in frustration. Did they not know their little brother well enough to figure out which park was his favorite? She gritted her teeth as she dug her fist in her pocket and jerking her cell phone to dial Ryou. They knew Ami that the little girl wouldn't leave without telling an adult first for just any old park. As a matter of fact, the small honey blonde only ever went to a park if there was an awesome set of jungle gym for her to climb. Her youngest sister's obsession with climbing and Wataru being the kind soul that he is, they would both head to park that had a jungle set. Unfortunately, even with that bit of criteria, there were still a lot of playgrounds that had them.

"Ryou? Are you busy at the moment?"

" _Well, kinda, Albino. I have to help Manager-san keep an eye on Mr. Pop Star here, but what's up?"_

"Ami-chan and Wataru have gone missing." Before the rest of her explanation could leave her mouth, Ryou was shouting in the background and telling whoever it was that they needed to go somewhere ASAP. "Topaz, will you slow down for five fucking seconds and let me finish!"

" _You want me to slow down!? Are fucking joking, Mari?"_ She had only ever heard Ryou get snappy with Fuuto when he did something out of line, and the drummer was always careful to keep his tone level whenever he scolded her. Maybe it had something to do with how wary she was of him after the confrontation before her audition.

The twins shared a wry glance as Ema-chan and Kyo sidled up next to the fuming blonde in order to hear the conversation better. Niwa-sempai raised an eyebrow, but made no comment as he watched. Mari scrunched her nose up and took a deep breath to calm her roaring temper. She needed to remain calm otherwise the situation would only escalate and that was the last thing she wanted. "We know where they are. Sort of. Wataru left us a note saying they went to a park."

" _Then go to the park. Why the hell give me a damn heart attack? I'm not as young as I used to be, damn it."_

"Don't be a baby, Topaz, you're not even twenty-seven. And, we would go to the park if there was just one God damn park in this neighborhood."

" _Well, what the hell are you calling me for? Fuuto has eleven brothers that can help search. And, by the means of this call, you don't need me to come down there."_ He muttered something to someone else and growled wordlessly, _"Idol-san says that you should've told us sooner before we left town."_

Twin sapphires alighted with blazing fury as she snarled back, "You tell him that it would've been fan-fucking-tastic if he'd focus on his image rather than me at the moment. And before you even ask, Ryou; _yes_ , I am extremely unhappy with Fuuto right now for a completely different reason."

" _Okay, message received. Now what do you want me to do?"_

"Get your laptop and start checking each park near the Sunlight Mansion. You know what Ami-chan's—"

" _Jungle gym. I got it."_ He paused and there was a brush of static as the phone traded hands.

" _You have people checking the parks physically, don't you?"_

Just hearing his voice sent her blood boiling and she had the extreme urge just to hang up on him. "Niwa-sempai and the twins are calling people now. Tell Topaz that I said to call me back when he finds the park."

" _Mari, wait a second!"_ His sudden shout nearly blew her eardrum and she shoved her two eavesdroppers away with a hand. _"I get it that you're pissed at me for being on your case, but until we find those brats will try to be civil with me?"_

"If you were smart, Yatsume-san, you'd figure out that I'm not angry about _that_. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find my little sister." She snapped her phone shut with a little more force than was necessary and clutched it with white fingers, the plastic digging into her palm.

Tsubaki hummed thoughtfully, his hand cupping his chin in thought as he took in Mari. "Trouble in paradise?"

She took a threatening step toward the joking voice actor, an undignified snarl contorting her face, and Niwa-sempai crushed her arm as he yanked her back. "Wasting your energy on hissy fits won't help find the kids any faster, Himimori. Chill out."

"Nee-chan, we'll find them so don't worry. Okay?"

A harsh slap resounded the room as Azusa punished Tsu's lack of empathy for the current situation. The teenagers turned to the sound in mild surprise and noticed that Tsu was bowed to the waist in typical apologetic fashion. Ema-chan elbowed the blonde, indicating her step-brother with a dip of her head and a stern look in dark brown. Mari groaned but nevertheless accepted the older man's apology with a grumble.

 **~o~**

"Wata-chan, this is the best climbing set I have ever _seen!_ " Ami squealed, bounding toward the perfect jungle gym without waiting for the older boy. Her pigtails bounced around her face as she began to climb, only pausing long enough for her friend to catch up before she was off again. When she reached the top, violet jewels sparkled with their joy as she gazed about the wonderful park. Maybe her sisters could come here sometime to relax.

"I knew you'd like it," he beamed just a few steps down from her feet. She giggled, watching cars pass this diamond in the rough playground as the young boy took his time in climbing up. "I told you it was worth the trip!"

"Yeah, I know. I just hope they're not freaking out too much."

"My onii-chans won't make that much of a fuss. It'll be fine!"

While Ami was still more hesitant about that, she nevertheless nodded her head like the agreeable girl she was and hummed to herself. She pulled Wata-chan up with a small grunt and helped him gain his balance at the top while they figured out what to do when they returned home. However, she figured the next they ever went out, they wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere but to school and back to the mansion. She shook her head of such thoughts and laughed at the joke Wata-chan said.

"Ah! I found you little rascals!"

Both children stopped speaking as a young boy about Yusuke-kun and Niwa-nii's age came running up to the jungle gym. White locks were pulled back into a messy low bun and icy blue-gray stared up at them in relief. He chuckled at their guilty expressions and pulled out his cell from the back of his destroyed jeans. "Yo, Harue, I found 'em. They're at the park about three blocks east of the house."

" _Good work, Gin. Hand the phone to Ami-chan, please."_

"Alright, Boss." Gin smiled brightly at Ami and jumped up to the metal bars while holding out his cell for the little girl take. "Harue would like to talk to you, sweetheart."

"Niwa-nii?" She took the phone with both hands and shared a glance with Wata-chan.

" _Ami-chan? Are you there?"_

The little girl frowned, "You sound funny, Niwa-nii. Is everything alright?"

" _Of course. I'm just glad that you are okay. Is Wataru there?"_

"Yes, we went to the park together to see this awesome jungle gym."

" _I'm sure it was a lot fun, huh? Oh? Hold on a second, Ami-chan, I think your sister wants to talk to you."_

Ami felt her stomach dropped and she grabbed at the little boy's hand in sudden fear. She just knew that Onee-tan was going to skin her alive for breaking one of the most important rules. Fortunately for her, the oldest sibling didn't sound angry at all.

" _Ami-chan, will you promise me one thing?"_

A little unsure and confused as to why her older sister hadn't scolded her for leaving the mansion's grounds without warning, Ami mumbled a small affirmative.

" _Next time, let's go to the park together. Alright?"_ There was a small sniffle on the other end, a sound that barely registered over the line, but the little girl had caught on to the stiff croak of Onee-tan's voice.

"Are you feeling well, Onee-tan? You sound like you're coming down with something. Should we stop by the store on our way home?" She looked to Gin with questioning eyes and the silver-haired prankster nodded.

" _No, no, sweetie. My throat is just a little dry, but would you mind getting me some ice cream? We're almost out. Tell Gin that I'll pay him back when he gets here."_

"Okay…I love you, Onee-tan."

" _I love you too, sunflower. Now hurry on home, alright?"_

She stared at the cell phone in her hand a moment as the END CALL screen flashed in her face. There was something wrong with her Onee-tan, but maybe the ice cream would make her feel much better. As she handed Gin his phone back, she asked, "Onee-tan was really scared, wasn't she?"

Wata-chan lowered his head in shame, after all, it had been his idea to take Ami to the park. Gin gave another big grin as he helped the two children down, "I think she was a little upset because you went climbing all by yourself without inviting her. Now, shall we go get some ice cream? We could get a card, too."

Ami placed her hand in teenager's palm and allowed him to lead the two of them away from the park. Maybe that was why her sister's voice sounded so funny over the phone. She didn't want Ami to feel bad about not asking her to come with them. The little girl smiled, skipping beside the older boy and helping Wata-chan fill him in on their adventure to the park.


	6. Men

**I'm terribly sorry that this chapter is almost four weeks late. I was going to upload this chapter two weeks ago, but a very dear relative of mine passed away and I just couldn't find it in myself to write the rest of this chapter. My great uncle's death was a terrible loss for me to grasp because I had just talked to him a few days ago and he was so healthy. It makes you realize how precious time with those you love is important.**

 **I didn't mean to go off like that and I apologize if I try to impart too much sappy advice. I'm also getting ready to start my freshmen year of college (I move into the dorms this Sunday), and in mentioning this, I won't lie and say that updates will continue as they have before. I will update as quickly as possible and I can promise that this story will be finished and not thrown on the backburner like some of my other stories. So, I hope y'all can wait as patiently as you have for the chapters to come and will continue to read, like, and favorite this story.**

 **Again, I'm sorry for the late update, but in order to compensate for it I wrote an extra long chapter! Please ignore the possible typos or grammar mistakes. I wanted to get this out to y'all as soon as possible and forwent the normal proofread. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter and will continue to stick around!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Six_

" _The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has."—Confucius_

Honey gold pigtails bounced in rhythm with Ami as she skipped beside Mari, the older blonde holding her hand in a gentle grip as the little girl bounced in barely contained excitement. She shared an amused glance with Yusuke-sempai who watched the two youngest and snorted at Wataru's childish antics. The group was heading for the park to watch the cherry blossoms while they ate some of Ema-chan's famous chicken and Mari's onigiri. Since there wasn't really anything at the house and no one felt like waiting another two hours for dinner, both the Asahinas and Himimori sisters decided that a picnic was a better option. There was only a few of the brothers at the house since Fuuto had to shoot a commercial and Masaomi-san was working a late night shift at the hospital.

Even Kaname, the useless monk, was busy preparing for this big festival later in the upcoming months, and Mari hadn't heard from Subaru since he left for basketball practice this morning. She shrugged, from what she heard from Tsu's phone conversation, it seemed that the orange-haired workaholic was coming to meet them too. Despite his rather cold exterior, Natsume had a kind heart and he was _trying_ to make Ema-chan feel more welcome after the whole fiasco at their parents' wedding. But Mari wasn't going to forgive him for his terrible behavior and as far as she was concerned, he could sit with his rambunctious triplet brother.

She shifted her grip on the picnic blanket and hummed when Ami mentioned the pink petals from the surrounding trees. The sweet breeze drifting through the cherry blossoms were much better since she was out of that damn fancy prison. She knew and understood why Fuuto and his brothers were so adamant about her remaining in the mansion when the pop star or the older onii-sans were out, but seriously? Since when was it _ever_ okay in the 21st fucking Century to lock a teenager in a damn house? Whatever happened to a woman's rights as a fellow human being? Mari snorted, it's that stupid bitch's fault for starting this shit. That fucking doll just _had_ to dig into her past and bring forth some questionable past events concerning her childhood to the school then to the public. As of right now, Mari's name was on the top of the search engine's list for any social media site as well as the world web.

The files Kuroki was able to find weren't as detailed as Ukyo-san and Mari had originally thought, thank goodness, but it raised the question of whether or not the redheaded doll had the more sensitive files. Until she returned from her annual visit to her great-grandmother's shrine in the backcountry, there was no way to really come up with a definite answer. Either way, Mari couldn't allow that kind of information reach her younger sisters' ears. She had buried their parents' true deaths from them for a lot of reasons, and if they found out that their father had a psychotic break and was willing to kill his sweet daughters then it would be over. She wouldn't let their visions of Mom and Papa become corrupted. There were times she feared that Kyo had figured it all out a long time ago because of her uncanny sight, but the raven-haired teenager hadn't mentioned the incident at all.

Maybe Kyo just didn't think too much about her Nee-chan hiding such a big secret like this after all the shit that's been happening. But even when their parents' deaths were still very fresh, Mari thought for sure that Kyo would figure it out and yet she hadn't. Whatever the reason, the blonde was just thankful that Kyo hadn't found out this particular secret just yet.

"Nee-chan, are you going to lay the blanket out or not?" Kyo grabbed the thick cloth before the blonde could answer and proceeded to flatten it out along the grass.

Mari shook her head and blinked as the absence of her youngest sister's hand became apparent. Instant panic settled in her heart as she jerked her head around for Ami's bouncing curls. Ever since that incident with the park a few days ago, the blonde was terrified that Ami had disappeared again if the little girl wasn't in her immediate sight. Completely natural, yet she was having a hard conquering this sudden urge to hover over Ami. There was no reason to do so, especially since Wataru was guiding Ami to the fenced pond to feed the ducks with Ema-chan and Kyo by their sides.

The minute Ami rounded the corner to the living room, Mari had rushed over to her and nearly crushed the little girl in her arms. She didn't know why her eyes instantly leaked with wet tears or why her throat felt like a raging inferno, but the relief of having Ami in her embrace was just too great. And the entire time, the little honey blonde was rubbing Mari's shaking shoulders and humming Fuuto's newest song. Of all the things to sing, Ami decided that a fast-paced pop song was the best at that moment. In any case, it worked. The older blonde instantly calmed and gave a watery chuckle as the high pitched notes registered.

Where would she be without her two baby sisters? She was a fool to believe that it was _she_ who took care of them when it was the complete opposite.

"Ne, ne, Future Imoto-chan!" Tsubaki nearly made her lose her balance as he practically dropped his entire body weight onto her shoulders. She glowered at him from the corner of her eye. He grinned widely, the half-eaten chicken still steaming on its stick in his hand. "You should sing with me!"

"Sing with you?" She scoffed. "Need I remind you, Tsubaki, that I don't sing."

He had the nerve to pout as she shoved him away. "But you sing with Fuuto-kun all the time!"

"That's work and I sing back-up!"

"So! That's still singing!"

"Tsubaki, I can't hold a fucking note!"

"But, Nee-chan is so good at singing me to sleep." Mari cringed as Ami's words drifted up to her ears and she nearly cursed again when violet eyes lit up in mischief.

 _I'm fucking screwed._ Brilliant sapphire closed as a loud groan of frustration left her throat. She could never win a single argument anymore. _"Fine!_ But, I swear to God, Tsu, if you pick something weird I'm going to make _sure_ you can't have any little Tsubakis running around. _Ever._ Understand?"

Not at all bothered by the guitarist's growled threat, Tsubaki grabbed her by the wrist and proceeded to drag her a tree stump where—lo' and behold—her acoustic guitar case rested against. Her scowl didn't go unnoticed by the other Asahinas and her sisters as she yanked her hand free. She stalked to the stump and proceeded to tune her guitar as meticulously as if she were preparing for practice. Another few minutes passed as Mari worked out little kinks in flowing melody, she even went so far as to play an entire song before nodding to Tsubaki. She was a professional after all.

The albino voice actor leaned down to whisper the song in her ear and twin oceans rolled in exasperation as she plucked the beginning chords. Tsubaki wasn't Fuuto, but he knew how to feel the beat and express the feelings of the lyrics that was for sure. As it was, a considerable crowd (mainly women, of course) began to form as the two continued their little duet. Out the corner of her eye, she noticed that Kyo was on the phone and talking rather excitedly to the person on the other end. Ema-chan was nowhere to be found no matter how much Mari twisted her head this or that way. Maybe she left to get more drinks since Tsubaki had drunken quite a few along with the rest. Though, Tsu had the most considering his more rambunctious behavior. It was probably best to keep him occupied since he'd just go and get himself into a shitload of trouble. She shook her head as she sung the next verse with an overenthusiastic identical twin. At this point, she figured that the crowd of women were more interested in Tsubaki's looks than his suddenly out-of-tune singing.

She figured playing her baby was more peaceful than watching the sakura blossoms drift in the wind and continued to strum out intricate melodies as the one time duet turned into a full mini-concert. Given that she played what came to her head, Tsubaki just added lyrics to the songs he didn't know and continued to fool around like always. The next time she looked up from the strings, Ema-chan had returned with four bags worth of drinks and snacks with Subaru at her side and carrying most of the plastic bags. It seemed a little awkward between the two, but the blonde shrugged it off as Subaru still trying to find his bearings with his new step-sister. She also noticed that Natsume had taken the time to visit his brothers and greeted everyone with a stiff nod. He even shook hands with Niwa-sempai who had arrived just a few short minutes before him and allowed Ema-chan to feed him her chicken.

It seemed everything was going well considering the impromptu outing and Mari smiled slightly as she ended the last song. The women whined at the lack of music since Tsubaki was already wandering over to the picnic blanket to bother his triplet brother. She packed up her guitar with the utmost care and tried to hide the blood rushing to her cheeks at the kind compliments the other girls were supplying. Despite what the paparazzi were trying to spread about her and her relationship with the ever so popular Asakura Fuuto, these women were saying such nice things. Maybe her view of the outside world (especially towards the more make-up wearing girls and women) in general would change in due time.

"Ami-chan! Wataru, don't lean over the fence!" Yusuke-sempai called out in sudden alarm. Immediately, Mari sprung away from her guitar as the sight of her little sister hanging precariously from the fence post registered. She was too far away to even hope to reach them in time, but an orange-haired man with a permanent stick up his ass ran straight for them with such speed she stopped mid-stride in surprise.

Wataru was laughing as a small duck began nibbling at his hand, his body between the fencing and very close to falling in if he wasn't careful. Ami giggled too, but she suddenly realized that Natsume was sprinting with everything he had for them and quickly climbed off the fence. The little girl tried to tell her friend that his brother was coming; however, and Mari could barely hold in her laughter, Wataru moved away from the duck at the last second and Natsume went flying over the fence where he landed in an undignified heap in the water. Mari burst into uproarious cackles as she stumbled over to the rest of the family, her eyes filling with tears at the dumbfounded and embarrassed look on the gamer tech's face. She had to hand it to him though, he wasn't as coldhearted as she originally thought.

She'd seen the flicker of fear in his eyes, the slight panic in his step as he ran, and she decided that Natsume had just become a stick in the mud because of his fierce ambition. Maybe. Hell, what did she know about him anyway?

"Natsume-nii, why're you swimming?" Wataru asked, clearly confused as Tsubaki and Mari continued to howl with laughter.

With a point look in their direction, Ukyo-san motioned for Yusuke-sempai and Subaru to help him out of the water. Ema-chan and Kyo fussed over him while the others divided up to pack their picnic up so they could return home. It would be such a shame if he came down with a cold couldn't work. Heaven forbid if that happened.

Mari wiped at her eye and headed back to retrieve her guitar case.

 **~o~**

"Why is it so hard for that man to give in to anyone else's suggestions?" Mari ran her fingers through her hair and plopped down beside Kyo and her boyfriend. Ukyo-san and Ema-chan were helping Wataru and Ami get ready for bed while the twins quite literally dragged their triplet to the bath. Subaru had disappeared to his room as soon as they walked through the door, and Yusuke-sempai had followed after his older brothers so he could take Natsume's clothes to the laundry room.

Louis smiled softly, his eyes as kind as ever as he settled into a chair adjacent from them. "Natsume-nii is just used to dealing with his own problems by himself."

"Sounds kind of lonely," Kyo murmured, grasping Niwa-sempai's hand tightly as if the thought frightened her.

Mari snorted, not at all bothered by the admission. "He could still try to see his family every once and awhile. _And_ while he's at it, he can get rid of the tsundere act. It's annoying."

"Coming from the queen, I highly doubt he'll change his personality just because you demand it." Niwa-sempai chuckled, burning gold brightening in mischief as the blonde teenager leaned around her sister to glare at him. "I don't understand why the two of you are so hostile towards one another. You're practically alike with a few exceptions."

"Yeah, Nee-chan," Kyo tilted her head toward the blonde, "I don't get why you hate Natsume-san so much either."

The guitarist scowled, crossing her arms in defiance as they continued to stare curiously at her face. She refused to answer no matter how much they burned with the need to know why she and the older man hated each other. In truth, she hadn't liked his attitude the moment she was introduced to him the first time at a congratulatory dinner at Fuuto's home. The band and Fuuto had hit number one after barely a month since there debut, and there would only be more fame and fortune to shine down on them. It could have been his immediate disapproval for her way of dress (all the designers' idea since she didn't like showing off her body at the time) or how she was quick to anger if Fuuto so much as made a snide glance in her direction. Though, could anyone really blame her? The idol had a rather nasty character once you got under the innocent angel façade.

And yet, Mari and Natsume had a general understanding with each. A kind of pact that required them to remain civil and poise with their respective families, and work together when the situation called for it. She also knew that the man was a very capable man with a kind heart, yet she just couldn't get over the cold businessman mask he held onto like armor. Whatever made him the way he is today, she wasn't sure about or if she would ever know, but until he comes to terms with his past then he would only successfully push people away. She was kind of impressed with the Asahinas brothers' optimism of having Natsume return to them.

She shook her head, "Quit looking at me like you'll get an answer anytime soon. As far as I'm concerned, that man can stay as far away from me as permitted."

"Ah, it's her tsundere side."

"She'll cave eventually."

"I'm sure Mari-chan will accept Natsume-nii eventually."

"Like hell I will, Louis!"

"Like hell you will what, baka Mari?" The four occupants jumped at the new voice echoing above them from the loft. Fuuto peered down with a carry-on bag in hand and a hoodie hanging precariously from his other arm. He raised an eyebrow and the blonde could see the dark bruises under his eyes even from her perch on the sofa. "You sure are lively at this time."

"Ah, Fuuto-kun," Louis greeted with wave, "how was the commercial?"

The idol shrugged, "Boring."

"Have you eaten, Fuuto-kun?" Kyo stood up, as if to head for the kitchen to heat up some leftovers from their picnic, but quickly stopped when Niwa-kun held onto her wrist. "Niwa-kun?"

He didn't answer, his attention was on Fuuto's arm, the one covered by the dark hoodie. Mari watched the two boys curiously, her brows furrowing as she tried to see what Niwa-sempai was scrutinizing, and the younger boy seemed a little unnerved if she wasn't mistaken. And Fuuto uncomfortable under the eyes of _anyone_ was a scream for trouble. Hell, he was under the scrutiny of millions every waking moment!

"Did something happen—" She began only for Fuuto to throw an infuriated, hateful glare in her direction. Dazzling sapphires widened in surprise at such a scowl coming from the popstar, but the bewilderment quickly vanished to bubbling rage as she surged to her feet. Both Kyo and Louis jumped as her knees banged against the table, nearly turning it over in the process, but Mari didn't give a rat's ass as she stomped up the stairs. To his credit, Fuuto didn't turn on his heel and take his exit before she could reach him.

She seized him by the collar and jerked him toward her with a snarl. "The fuck is your problem?!"

"N-nee-chan! Maybe he's just exhausted from his schedule. You don't have to—"

Fuuto snapped with the same amount of heat and ferocity as Mari despite his rather weaker position. "Do you always have to rub your nose in my business?"

"Well considering how you do that with _mine_ , it seems only fair, don't you think?"

Crashing indigo waves held smoldering chocolate in a fierce battle of ice and fire. Neither one was willing to flinch under such fury nor the two siblings watching in mild horror at such a ferocious stand-off. One wondered if a brawl would take place right in front of them if they so much as said a word to stop them. Niwa-sempai, on the other hand, had seen plenty of fights in his day and, without a care in the world, strolled up the stairs despite his girlfriend's silent pleas against it. He stood between the two warring elements with a frigid, indifferent mask and grabbed the same arm he'd been staring at the last few minutes.

The reaction was immediate as Fuuto's face scrunched up in a pained grimace and his body instinctively squirmed away from the cause of his discomfort. Fierce navy lightened until the glimmering sapphires threatened to spill over with hushed tears as Niwa-sempai pulled the boy's sleeve up. With the dark color of his shirt blending perfectly with the burgundy crimson of the idol's blood, no one would have known about his injury until he revealed it himself.

"What the fuck happened?!" Mari released his collar in order to grip the idol's wrist instead. She pulled the deep cut closer to her face and could feel her stomach flip multiple times at the terrible similarity of her scar along her hip. "Louis, call Masaomi-san here now!"

"Nothing," He said, his eyes refusing to meet hers.

"It looks like someone jumped you and tried to make a point." Niwa-sempai eyed Fuuto up and down, cold amber calculating. "Weren't you escorted over here, Asahina?"

Fuuto pulled his arm free from Mari, a little more gently than before, and sighed. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal?! Are you fucking kidding me?" Her voice bounced off the walls as it rose two octaves. "Fuuto, someone attacked you! How is that not a big deal?"

"Will you stop screaming? I get enough of that from my fans."

Her eyes darkened again, "You were threatened to keep quiet, weren't you." His lips parted in an irritated scowl, but she cut him off. "I know you better than you think, you fucking jerk! For Heaven's sakes, you're dating a bitch like me with a terrible connection with one of the sickest lowlifes in the world! _And you're famous._ Does that give anyone else any major hints?"

Kyo was suddenly by her side, her fingers digging into Mari's shoulders as she pulled her sister back. "Nee-chan, you can't just force him to spill his guts about this!"

"It's about Nishiomi Isao, doesn't it?" The name sent a piercing silence through the room as all three teenagers froze. One look into light caramel and Mari had her answer. She knew that it had something to do with her rapist, and somehow she was surprised that the CEO's son hadn't acted sooner.

"Not everything is about you, baka Mari." It was a pathetic excuse that she didn't believe for one minute despite his attempt to bury his sword deep within her heart. He wanted to push her as far away as possible and she wasn't an idiot shoujo manga girl that would blindly take every word from her boyfriend as truth. What kind of person would she be if she just let him fight her battle by himself? A fight that she didn't want any of them to have to do with from the start; hence why she hid her scars from the very beginning.

Before the blonde could say another word, Niwa-sempai cocked his fist back and slammed it into the popstar's cheek. Both girls yelped and gawked in disbelief as the burgundy haired bad boy fisted his hands in a collapsed Fuuto's shirt. While they both knew that Niwa-sempai had a reputation for starting brawls outside of school, neither girl knew the extent of his ferocity.

"What kind of man are you to act like this, hm? I thought you said you'd protect Himimori-san with your own life. Were those just a bunch of empty words from a little boy? Or, were those the words of a man who truly understood the meaning of what he uttered?" Niwa-sempai glared into two caramel drops unyieldingly, his voice mocking and full of disgust. "I guess you're nothing more than a little pup who cowers at the harshest treatment."

Mari blinked as Fuuto's fist nailed their sempai in the jaw, a dark and determined look appearing in his eyes as he shoved the older teenager to the ground. She was enthralled by this side of the idol and her eyes didn't dare to leave the taut muscles flexing and tightening as he pinned Niwa-sempai to the floor. Twin caramel drops were so dark that they appeared almost black in their intensity. Despite the bruises and his bleeding arm, he refused to let the older hellion get the best of him and ruin his name. She patted her sister's hand, hoping that would soothe her spark of worry over the two boys brawling in the middle of the house.

"The hell do you think you know, bastard?" Fuuto growled, the low tone harsh and yet appealing despite his normally teasing voice.

"Prove me wrong then. If you're such a man, then surely you don't give a damn about what anyone else orders you to do."

"I won't let her be caught in the crossfire!"

"She's already caught in the crossfire, you God damn moron! She decided to be with you, remember?"

Fuuto grew silent and she thought that surely he would yield to such a backhanding comment, but instead the idol leaned down until his nose was a few inches away from Niwa-sempai's. Her eyes couldn't get any wider at this point as Kyo stopped breathing entirely. She couldn't hear what he said, but it seemed to have satisfied Niwa-sempai as the two finally backed off and pulled away from each other. Or rather, Fuuto got off and scooted back until he hit the edge of the loveseat.

Kyo immediately left her side in favor of checking on her boyfriend while Mari continued to watch Fuuto with perplexed sapphires. With his eyes closed and head resting on the cushions, he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment. The beginning signs of a wicked bruise inked across his cheek in red and blue hues, and she had the distinct impression that his lip had been cut by one of Niwa-sempai's rings. He was still bleeding from the cut along his arm and she worried that he was probably losing too much blood. Gnawing the soft flesh of her lips with her teeth, Mari moved to the popstar's side and pulled off her shirt. Goosebumps immediately began to rise along her skin as she knelt beside him in a pair of jeans and her sports bra. She began to fold the cotton of her shirt into a makeshift tourniquet and applied pressure after tying it firmly around the wound.

"We have a first aid kit in the kitchen, you know?" Fuuto mumbled with his eyes still closed.

Tearing sapphires rolled in exasperation, "If you had just admitted that you were attacked in the first place instead of arguing with me and getting in a fight with Niwa-sempai then I'd use the fucking first aid kit in the kitchen." God, why did her throat feel like it was being constricted?

"Urusai!"

"Yeah, yeah. Be a man and dish out more punches." She looked over her shoulder to see if her sister was paying attention before continuing in a lower voice, "You really freaked me out."

A small twitch of a smirk as he said, "Awe, you do care."

She punched his shoulder, "I mean it, Fuuto."

"I'm alright, so stop making a fuss. You already have plenty of other things to worry about as is."

"And one of those just so happens to be sitting in front of me." The two chuckled, finding the situation rather ironic considering how switched their positions were at the moment. With her free hand, she cupped Fuuto's cheek gently and waited until his eyes opened to meet hers in mild surprise. "Ne, promise me something."

"What?"

"No matter what happens with me, Nishiomi, or Kuroki, you won't do anything rash."

"Why this all of a sudden? Are you seriously a baka?"

She held his gaze unyieldingly, swirling oceans serene in their depths. "Promise me, Fuuto."

He stared at her with hard eyes, trying to figure out the reason for her sudden demand and when none came, he nodded slightly. "Alright, I promise."


	7. Explosion

**Well, I've been gone for awhile, huh? Hehehehe…(awkward pause) I'm back now (obviously) and I won't even bother to apologize because y'all probably don't care about my excuses. All I'm going to say is that college fucking sucks and crazy people with guns fucking suck ass. I still haven't slept well and I also have exams (the first for this semester WHOOPIE -.-) start this Monday. And, since I've been so stressed out lately, I decided to come back to this chapter and finally fucking finish it. Because I need a distraction from all this stress and studying.**

 **(Takes a deep breath) Sorry for ranting but I feel a little better. Anyway, I know y'all just want to read this chapter, and I just want to say that this chapter turned out a lot darker than I had originally intended but oh well. It's a chapter that was finally needed and we have some fucking action! YAY! Things will continue to heat up after this and I have absolutely** _ **no idea**_ **when I'll be able to update again, but hopefully it'll be soon!**

 **I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! Happy Weekend, guys!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Seven_

" _A woman under stress is not immediately concerned with finding solutions to her problems but rather seeks relief by expressing herself and being understood."—John Gray_

There were a lot of reasons why Mari hated hospitals—hell, she even refused to set foot in an afterhours clinic for Heaven's sakes! She especially hated the memories that refused to remain buried every time she entered one and had her sister not been there to act as a pillar she surely would have lost herself. Fuuto had immediately been carted off to a hospital room with Masaomi-san by his side along with another doctor. Flashing cameras from the paparazzi appeared from the corner of her eye as she stood outside the waiting room with her family and friends. Manager-san was having a rather difficult time it seemed with keeping the press from entering the ER, and Mari was pretty sure that they were asking how the loved popstar could have fallen to such an attack. The company would definitely get a lot of heat for this and it was all Mari's fault.

The blonde knew that blaming herself wasn't going to help anybody but couldn't help it. Her boyfriend was being victimized and pushed into a raging inferno because he was dating his lead guitarist who had a rather questionable and eventful past. So much of Fuuto's life had changed since she admitted her feelings towards him and yet a lot had remained the same. She found comfort in that regard as she tapped her foot impatiently. If Nishiomi wanted to watch her break down at seeing her world slowly fall apart along with the people in it then he'd better look forward to waiting for a long time.

"Mari-chan," her manager called her over with a hand and the exasperation was clearly evident in his eyes as she walked over. A hint of regret and fatigue was also present in his eyes as he rubbed his forehead. "I'm afraid you'll have to make a general statement to the media."

"You sure about this?" She waved away her sister's questioning stare and refocused her attention on her manager. "The press and I don't really have a lot of fond memories."

He sighed, clearly aggrieved of having to deal with this situation in the middle of the night. "If I could get them to leave without you speaking then I wouldn't be talking to you now."

"Yeah, I kinda got that," the blonde rolled her eyes and rubbed her face. "Whattya want me to say?"

After a few minutes' worth of preparation, Mari donned a pair of sunglasses to protect her eyes from the millions of flashing lights and headed out of the waiting room to deal with the wolves. Manager-san stood to her right, his hand a firm weight on her shoulder, and Natsume stood to her left like a dutiful body guard as he glared down at the paparazzi. She could understand his irritation with their need to bother someone who was obviously hurt enough to be in the ER, but they had to remain civilized in order to remain above their barbaric levels. Mari gripped her wrist in a death grip behind her back, forcing her need to tell these _sick_ people off with only a fierce desire to protect Fuuto's image.

The blonde didn't have enough time to change into a new shirt after leaving the mansion with Fuuto and Masaomi-san driving like a bat out hell, so she borrowed Tsubaki's button-down. She felt a little tacky wearing such a nice shirt with ripped Nike shorts, but what could you do, right? She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. "Earlier this evening, my boyfriend, Asakura Fuuto, was assaulted by a man who wanted information on the company's files concerning their employees. More specifically, files that held my personal records. I understand that a lot of people are interested in my history and there are many people who want nothing more than to see me fall because I am dating Fuuto-kun. This unfortunate event shouldn't have happened…" She bit her lip and tried to keep the sudden ball in her throat down. This wasn't the time for her to get emotional like this. No one had any sympathy for her and crying would most likely make the situation worse.

Her breath shuddered out in a barely contained sob as she continued, "I understand that if I wasn't dating Fuuto-kun then this wouldn't have happened in the first place—that it's ultimately my fault. And, you'd be right…However, Fuuto-kun knows everything about my past and accepts all the dangers that come with it. I know you all wish to know the same information, but I'm afraid that will have to stay with me until further notice. If Fuuto-kun is given a few weeks to rest in peace without any media cameras being shoved in his face then…" Manager-san squeezed her shoulder as she stumbled the over words. He knew that sharing such a dark secret to the public would be hard and could lead to only more conflicts in the future, but Fuuto needed these few weeks to heal properly. "Then, I will go on the first talk show that contacts me and explain everything in great detail. _But only if_ , Asakura Fuuto-kun is given the proper amount of time to heal in peace."

One of the hardest things she had to do was bow her head to them and it took every fiber in her being to not just bolt away from the entire situation. She really hated how exposed and vulnerable she felt in that moment. Her throat threatened to close at the thought of having to share what happened all those years ago when she was child and then her scars as a rape victim. Surely, Nishiomi's company would retaliate if she exposed their innermost dealings. Even if Fuuto's injuries hadn't been life threatening, the next incident might be and if she moved the target from not only his back but the rest of her family and friends then that was just fine. It wasn't in the original plan that Manager-san had prepared, but Mari knew that the big wiz entertainment anchors would be jumping at such an opportunity if given the chance.

She raised her head and smiled once at the shouting crowd before turning on her heel to head back inside. Natsume and Manager-san quickly followed after her, one holding a thunderous expression while the other was grumbling angrily at her stupidity. She wasn't sure what surprised her more: the fact that Natsume was furious at her risky move or that Manager-san couldn't speak at all he was so angry. Either way, both men were undoubtedly pissed at her.

"If you're pissed then just say it," she muttered, removing the glasses and shoving them back at her manager with a scowl.

Natsume spoke up first, his eyes flashing dangerously as he shoved her into the wall. His fingers crushed her wrist and she yelped in surprise as her head slammed hard into the plaster. "Do you understand what you have done?"

Her brows rose into her hairline as her answer hissed between bared teeth, "Let. Me. Go."

"Oi, Natsume-nii," Yusuke-sempai took a step forward but Tsubaki stopped him with a shake of his head. The fiery redhead shared a concerned glance with Ema-chan and Kyo as both the orange-haired and blonde continued their battle of wills.

Amethyst gems darkened as they held crashing oceans, his dark brows furrowing to create deep crevices in his forehead, and a vein began to peak out at his throat, just beside his Adam's apple. "Do you honestly think that Fuuto would appreciate your "noble sacrifice"?"

"Why wouldn't he? Don't talk like you give two shits about your family or me when you avoid them like the God damn plague!" She snarled, her spit landing on a thick eyelash and remaining completely still as the air heated with growing aggression. "Just 'cause your some big shot doesn't mean anything! And if you think you have any fucking _right_ to tell me what to do with _my life_ then you're really a dumbass."

By this point, her words had reached a screeching crescendo that echoed around the waiting room and left its occupants silent. No had heard the blonde yell this much since Fuuto had first brought up her parents' true end, and even then the teenager was in near tears from the panic of anyone finding out—especially if it was Fuuto. Besides, Natsume had no fucking right to lecture her about anything she said or did when it came to her life or the Asahinas. He refused to be a part of their family unless it was an order from his mother or some special damn occasion. Who was _he_ to fucking give her orders and call her an idiot. Or question why she did what she did for Fuuto?

Natsume, whose face had been rather stoic in his rage, had a fierce expression come over him and it sent a slight shiver down her spine. She'd only ever seen the man pissed enough to lose his blank mask only once and it had been during a rather loud argument with his younger brother, Subaru. His grip on her wrist was bone crushing as his face lowered until their eyes were on the same level. Mari refused to back down at those terrifying depths—they were almost obsidian in color compared to bright and upbeat violet of Tsubaki's or even the serene and calm lavender of Azusa's. Such a contrast from the identical twins' irises sent a wave of goosebumps across her flesh at the familiarity of them. Despite herself, she flinched as his voice rumbled in fury.

"This is _not_ about me, Mari, and twisting the subject around in order to defend your reasoning is childish. We both know that by revealing the truth of your rape will place a target not only your back but also on your younger sisters." He nodded grimly when her face instantly lost its snarl and was replaced with unadulterated fear that nearly had her legs collapsing. "You are supposed to protect your sisters, aren't you? How is coming out about Nishiomi Isao-san's true character going to help you do that? You have no proof of such allegations other than your scars and records from the hospital, and without any witnesses willing to defy their master's orders, you do not have a sound case. Do you understand now that you have condemned yourself to death?"

He released her wrist and took a step back, seeming pleased with himself at his oration. The gut wrenching fear she felt was echoed by Kyo as the dark-haired teenager clutched at Tsubaki like a lifeline in a raging storm. She stared at her hands in bewilderment and hatred as the reality of what she had said to the media finally slammed into the smarter side of her brain. What the fuck was she thinking? To promise the paparazzi information that was too few and circumstantial to be of solidarity. The only ones who knew the truth were those involved and said party was already very willing to silent her permanently if she spoke out of turn. She should have just fucking listened to Manager-san's advice and followed his plan instead of doing something like this.

Why was being a celebrity so hard? Fuuto made it appear like the easiest thing in the world whenever he went out in public. He was calm in front of the paparazzi's flashing cameras and screaming questions at him as he walked down the street, and he knew just how to work the crowds of fans into his favor. Was there some type of class she could take or a book to study? Just how did he do this on a day-to-day basis?

"There are better ways to tell her she is a fool rather than scaring her half to death, Natsume," Ukyo-san noted as he loosened his tie and adjusted his glasses. Beside him, and looking very exasperated at his younger brother's blunt way of speaking, was the blonde wannabe monk. "How is Fuuto-kun's condition?"

Azusa answered and all focus switched from a twitching Mari to the recent information the voice actor had gotten from the doctors. "Masaomi-nii said that he'll need over fifty stitches and a lot of bed rest since he lost a lot of blood, but Fuuto-kun will be alright within a month."

"Very good then. Kaname and Yusuke will escort the girls back home, and I have already informed Ryou and Kai to meet you back at the Sunrise Residence. Mari and Kyoko are not allowed to leave your sights until we return home to sort this out. Understand?" The last bit was directed at Mari as a narrowed aquamarine stared down at her from a sharp nose. She nodded, still refusing to look up from her hands.

"Come on, Mari," Yusuke-sempai touched her shoulder lightly, almost fearful to come near her as her expression remained perfectly void of emotion. "Let's go home."

Kyo intertwined her fingers inside her sister's as Ema-chan wrapped an arm around the blonde shoulders. The group hunkered down through the flashing lights as Kaname pushed aside any camera that shoved its way into the girls' faces, and they climbed into the lawyer's sleek sedan. Mari sat between Kyo and Ema-chan without much protest and remained silent the rest of the trip. She refused to answer any of their questions about absurd things she had little care for at the moment. By the time they reached the house, Mari was at her breaking point but continued to persevere until she was able to reach the confines of her room.

She had stormed passed her bandmates without so much of a glance as she all but ran down the hall to her sanctuary. Their voices of alarm were immediately silenced as Ema-chan explained that Wataru and Ami didn't need to know the severity of the situation yet. With the harsh slam of her door and the click of the deadbolt, Mari gladly released all her frustration and fear and anger into the air. Her room was the farthest from the little kids and she didn't have any inhibitions in throwing all her belongings around. Books, her backpack, the case to her prized collection of guitar picks, the chair to her desk, papers from countless homework assignments and letters from her grandparents before they passed away last year. She trashed everything in her room in a fit of tears and panic. Later she would regret at the mess and her valuables being broken or possibly loss, but all that mattered right then was getting rid of the pent up emotion.

There's nothing left for her to chunk across the room except for her sweet baby leaning up against the wall where the destruction had yet to touch. She panted in wheezing gasps, the tears sliding down her cheeks without heed for the boiling of her blood. How could she cry when she felt so furious? Was her body out its right mind?

Her neck popped as she jerked it toward the wall where her guitar laid innocently. Without any thought, she stumbled over the destruction that as currently her floor and reached out for the neck of her baby. Soothing comfort shot up her arm as she pulled it into its natural position and moved a few things around until she was sit on the floor with her back up against the wall. Her fingers began to strum the strings, random chords soon turned into beautiful melody as the music echoed her soul. She found that it was easy to breathe after awhile and before long, her mind had calmed enough to process the extent of her temper tantrum. She had to admit, this had to be worse tantrum she had in years.

Mari chuckled humorlessly to herself as the acoustic tunes began to change into a sweet lullaby that was all too familiar. It was the same one Fuuto had played beside her bed while she rested after seeing Isao again. If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that he was right there in room again and that everything was perfectly normal. No one was threatening her and her sisters' safety or the semi-normal life she had. The Asahinas and Ema-chan weren't in harm's way thanks to her and the heavy baggage that came with her. Kyo and Ami would have a life free of strife and fear for the next day. But when she opened her eyes again, reality had set in and refused to give her any ounce of relief. The music stopped abruptly and she buried her face in her hands, unable to deal with the sudden weight on her shoulders.

What had she done?

 **~o~**

Plump rosy lips submitted to sharp pearls as cornflower blue narrowed in thought for a plan in exposing Himimori Mari's past relationship with Nishiomi Isao and the true events circulating her parents' death. Imagine the social uproar and humiliation of Fuuto-sama learning this information, but that wasn't all that the redheaded doll had in mind. No, no…she knew far more than what the handsome lawyer with glasses found out. As a matter of fact, her original plan was to distract them all from what her _true_ intentions were.

A sinister smile split the Cupid's bow mouth, an expression that contrasted greatly with the innocent and purity of the porcelain doll. Her fingers flipped another page of Himimori's file and doe eyes skimmed over its contents with glee. She could already see the look of despair when the paparazzi found out that Fuuto-sama's innocent guitarist actually had some dirt. The redhead smirked, _She'll regret ever making a fool out of me!_

She'd make sure that bitch wouldn't get the chance to take back the promise she foolishly made to the media. There would be nothing that can be said to protect her reputation now. Aiko rushed to her desk for her laptop and began to type. Maybe she could get into contact with one of the news outlets her father was good friends with and release the story before Himimori Mari could think of a plan. Her fingers flew across the keyboard and the smile donning pretty lips refused to leave as she explained in great detail what she read in the blonde's file. And when this aired, Fuuto-sama would thank her greatly for finally knowing the truth behind that lying slut. It was her fault for getting Fuuto-sama hurt and sending him to the hospital—maybe, he'll just dump her for that and the truth of Himimori's past could be a bonus.

Yes, the redhead liked the sound of that. Killing two birds with one stone. It was perfect!

Her eyes skimmed through the passage she just wrote for any mistakes and directed the cursor toward the bottom the letter box. Without any care for how many people she would put at risk with this information, Aiko clicked SEND with a grin.


	8. Hardships

**Hello, everyone! It's been awhile, huh? Ehehe…(laughs nervously for quite a long time)**

 **I'd just like to say that, first off, I'm terribly sorry that this is soooooooo overdue. I had started this chapter not too long after finishing Chapter 7 with the intention that I would finish it two weeks after the previous chapter's publication. Two weeks went by then another two weeks and then it finally had been a month…so on and so forth. I won't try to use the excuse that college got in the way or life decided to be a particular bitch, but I will say that halfway through this chapter I hit a** _ **major**_ **writer's block.**

 **Mind you, I don't like being stuck on a chapter for almost three months and every time I came back to this to work through, it turned out to be real crappy. I'm still not exactly convinced that this turned out well since I decided I was going to finish this TONIGHT (or is it morning since it's almost 3AM here?). Anyway, there'll probably be a heck of a lot typos or mistakes in this last bit and throughout this chapter, but I was determined to get this out before Christmas as my gift to all of you.**

 **Really, this present was going to be given on the 25** **th** **since that's Christmas Day and all, but I don't want to make y'all wait any longer. Practically four months is enough, right? I hope y'all can enjoy this chapter and ignore the mistakes I made!**

 **Have a good winter break and Happy Holidays to everyone! 33**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Eight_

" _I think it's my personality to overcome things, learn from them and become stronger, both personally and professionally. To be honest, I welcome those hardships."—Hope Solo_

Quaking fingers brushed platinum strands from a sweaty brow, the blankets swallowing her were a small replacement for Mom's loving embrace, and Mari breathed in a restless rhythm. Brilliant sapphires were hidden away by dark lashes and her neck throbbed from the terrible position she'd placed it in after giving up her guitar. Her muscles had long ago stopped voicing their complaints about the cramped space and curled position against the corner wall, and she had forgotten how many hours she'd spent huddled in her blankets. A few of the Asahinas had grown worried after her immediate tantrum had silenced and they knocked on the door or, in Yusuke-sempai's case, yelled and yanked at the locked doorknob until she replied. Did they honestly think she'd kill herself? What a joke. As if she would further destroy her sisters' lives by leaving them to fend for themselves.

But, really, hadn't she destroyed them already by promising the press an honest account of her mysterious past and present? The terrible agony that had filled her heart ached at the reminder, not even Kyo's tremoring pleas could knock her out of the comatose she'd fallen into. Eventually, the brothers contacted Masaomi-san in a fit of muttered, half-whispered shouts that flew towards her corner, easily passing through her door, and allowing her to hear every detail of their conversation. She could only imagine the amount of distress it had taken for them to finally call their eldest brother for advice.

"Well, what should we do?" Tsu griped from the other end, the sharpness in his tone unfamiliar.

A moment of silence as Masaomi-san replied and Ema-chan's voice rose above the sudden outrage. "Maybe it would be best to leave her alone until she's ready to talk."

"Masaomi-san mustn't be too concerned if Nee-chan is locked up in her room. And, I don't _feel_ like she's going to hurt herself." Another pang slammed into the blonde's chest at the pained rasp of her younger sister and had she not been so _ashamed_ of herself then she would have left her prison to comfort the other teenager. She was the lowest of the low for causing such pain for Kyo after everything she'd been through, and yet the blonde just couldn't will herself to get up. She couldn't conquer the sudden obstacle placed in front of her and it only proved just how _weak_ she was. "We should give her some time alone."

That had been four hours ago when the sun was just beginning to set along the horizon and paint the sky deep purples and pinks. She hadn't moved from her little corner, hadn't lifted her head, hadn't eased the tension building in her shoulders, and she refused to touch her beautiful acoustic guitar propped against the wall. Its neck was within her reach but the thought of tainting it with the smothering darkness made her hesitant. She, instead, chose to close her eyes and just listen to the branches tapping beats against the windowpane, the steady thrum of crickets chittering, and the soft moans from the wind. Eventually, she drifted off into a fitful sleep, one that was filled with tear-jerking memories and scenes she hoped would never come to life. Multiple times she'd jerk awake, running away from the mental image her subconscious had cruelly created before calming her erratic breathing to sleep once more. Off and on this went until the beginning shades of pink and gold streamed through her window, sliding along her walls in vague shapes and giving life to the destroyed room.

She lifted her head to watch the gleaming gold pink dance along her room, her mind distracted by the ethereal show, and a tiny quirk reached her lips as the light flitted about, dancing excitedly along a turned over mirror. The playful esper continued its ascent until all that remained was a golden hue from the burning sun. She instantly missed the childish antics of the pink-gold light that had played around the room, but knew that it had to eventually leave just like everyone else did in her life. Burning sapphire flitted to the smooth wood of her guitar, the golden glow overtaking it and transferring its purity into the fine strings. Her fingers itched to reach out, to caress it once more in the familiar lullaby, but she bit her lip in uncertainty. Was it truly alright for her to play it after discovering this terrible parasite within her? It wasn't contagious was it? Her precious baby wouldn't be infected and cursed to mournful melodies for the rest of its life?

 _Only way to find out,_ she sighed, her arm stiff from lack of use as she leaned forward slightly to wrap her fingers around its neck. Warmth immediately shot up her arm in a thick wave that seemed to chase away the darkness filling her soul. Peace settled over her once more, like it always did whenever she placed the guitar in her arms. The blonde felt her muscles relax, the choking vice in the pit of her stomach eased its grip, and the tightness in her throat faded as her fingers began to strum. She was a fool to think that her baby would be so easily tainted; after all, it had been through everything horrible that had happened in her life. It was unyielding against all darkness just like she strived to be. A relieved smile flitted across full lips as she allowed her body, mind, and soul be moved by the music she created.

This was right. This was peace in physical form.

Her voice, soft and lilting, fluttered through the morning quiet of the house, the tunes from her guitar sounding off with the sorrowful lyrics. She had no specific artist in mind, the words pouring out and flowing together in intricate melodies and rhymes that it made her question why she hadn't been a songwriter. Maybe if she'd taken that route, the press wouldn't have a clear image of her and she could take on an alias with the songs she wrote. It was too late now, and would she really had been willing to remain in the shadows anyway? She scoffed, of course not. The blonde would rather stand in the spotlight with thousands of fans screaming and dancing to the music she strummed into reality.

Not even the doorknob twisting harshly to the right then left stopped her playing and singing. She found a reprieve from the agony that wracked her soul to the core all night long and Mari wasn't about to give it up just yet. It wasn't until the door groaned and the hinges shrieked in surprise that the blonde guitarist halted her play. Once the final note faded along the air currents, she realized that someone was screaming her name like his life depended on it. Like if she didn't answer the door right now and continued to ignore his pleas, he would most certainly die. Bewildered by the earth-shattering shouts and compelled by her slowly recovering heart to ease the torture within his soul, she stumbled to her feet and picked her way through the wreckage. Her fingers grasped the handle as she flicked the lock and before she could even pull it open, a warm body slammed into her torso.

Caramel hair, thick and curly, brushed against her nose and cheeks as Fuuto practically knocked her over. His arm was encased in white bandages that had dark crimson dots blending in with the gauze, and while she was careful to not touch where his stitches were, the pop star had wrapped it around her waist. She was sure they would fall on a turned over chair or table, but by some miracle they were able to reassert their balance at the last possible second. Heart pounding and legs quaking under his weight, Mari placed quivering hands on his shaking shoulders, his breath leaving in wheezing gasps and mingling with hers. She swallowed thickly, unsure if she wanted to look at him since it was her fault that he'd ended up like this, but her soul yearned for that devilish smirk and twinkling caramel drops.

"Fuuto…?" Her whisper was barely audible and yet it sounded like the crack of a whip. "What're you…Are you okay?"

His head lifted then, the burning depths of his anger lighting his face in way that knocked the breath clean out of her. She winced as his fingers tightened around her waist and when he began to lead her backwards, expertly maneuvering them both over her messy floor toward the bed, the furious scowl dominating his face began to crumble. Twin oceans halted their gentle waves at the sight of unshed tears swimming dangerously in his eyes, and the grip on her hip, the same hip that bore the worst memory of all, turned into a sweet caress as her knees buckled. Her bed greeted her worn body welcomingly as he climbed on top of her, pulling and shifting them both around until they both were curled against one another.

His breath whistled by her ear, sending tingles down her spine as he pulled her closer to his chest. He had yet to say a single word and yet there was so much that had passed between them in that one moment their eyes met. Words weren't really needed at this point as Fuuto took a deep gulp of air, as if he wasn't able to fully recover from a blow to the gut. Mari lifted a hand and placed it on top of his, the heat from them instantly spreading to her numb fingers. She desperately wanted to see his face, to confirm for herself that he truly was here in this moment and not a figment of her imagination. However, he refused to loosen his hold on her and seemed to vibrate with anger.

At least, she thought it was anger until something wet touched the nape of her neck.

Sapphire jewels widened in surprise as she croaked, "What's wrong? Are you—"

"Don't _ever_ do this again, Mari."

It was a firm yet shaky demand as his face remained buried in her neck, the slight shudder wracking through his shoulders slight but still noticeable. She wasn't sure how to respond at first, the surprise of hearing him at the brink of breaking down into a sobbing mess was enough to send her reeling. What else could she say? That she wouldn't do anything like this again? Which wasn't true because she was bound to do some stupid shit again, but maybe nothing close to this foolish… In any case, she couldn't give a false promise as much as she really wanted to, it wouldn't have been fair to lie to him.

"Let's just say I won't act rashly anymore, deal?" Her voice cracked in between each word, his arms still locked tightly around her and halting all access to air. She clutched his shirt and gave a small chuckle. "I'm usually the one losing my cool. Are the doctors sure you aren't concussed?"

A familiar smirk quirked his lips as he lifted his head to raise a single brow in sardonic question. "Considering the current state of your room, I'd say you finally fell off your high horse."

"That should be the other way around, Asahina." The normal banter between them finally soothed the raging storm in her heart, and despite the destruction around them, she knew that together the two of them would be alright. They could find their way out of trouble with one arm behind their backs and a blindfold over their eyes. She had no reason to worry about their relationship tearing apart with the help of outsiders. A sudden thought struck her out of her revelation and she twisted around until bright sapphire held twin caramel drops. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital still?"

Before he could formulate an excuse that Mari wouldn't have believed, someone cleared their throat noisily from the doorway. The two teenagers turned to see the house's family doctor staring them down with a serious expression, his arms crossed in the typical "I'm very disappointed". Masaomi-san was not alone either as Ukyo-san adjusted his glasses behind him. Fuuto winced, the action caught by the blonde but not by his two older brothers who waited for the teenagers to untangle themselves. She'd never seen the pop star look so… _apologetic_ to any of his siblings before. It was a new sight for her as he took her hand and helped her across the room.

Masaomi-san took a step back, allowing the pop star and guitarist to stand on safe ground again. His eyes were stern, an expression she'd never seen on the good doctor's face in all the months she'd known him, and Fuuto was just as unnerved as she was by the sight. Ukyo-san raised a single brow, the gleam of the light above them catching his glasses and sending a streak light into Mari's eyes. As long as she didn't have to make full eye-contact with the blonde lawyer she'd be perfectly calm during this lecture.

"Do you realize what you have done, Fuuto?" They both winced at the emptiness in the Masaomi-san's tone. It wasn't just a normal lack of emotion, but a showing of just how furious and disappointed he was in that moment. "If you had been seen by any of your fans or the press then it would have been disastrous."

"We need not remind you that you are to recover in peace without any reckless actions, correct?" Ukyo-san added with a heavy undertone of a father scolding his children.

Fuuto refused to meet either one of his brothers' gazes, instead his attention was focused solely on their intertwined fingers, her palm pressing into his as she squeezed. She knew it was her fault for causing him to do such drastic things in the first place, what with her going all AWOL, but she hadn't meant for any of this to happened. Honestly, all she wanted was to have a normal relationship with him, to feel truly loved and cared for, and to have a _real_ and _honest_ love that she'd lost with Nishiomi. None of the turmoil and pain she'd caused was supposed to happen—Kyo and Ami were just finding themselves again, both of her sisters finding great friendships and love with both the Asahinas and Niwa-senpai. It wasn't fair yet she couldn't bring herself to change anything that had transpired. She was thankful for meeting Ryou who gave her the courage to follow through with the audition and getting to know Fuuto like no one ever had. But, if there was thing she could change, it was trashing her room like a cliché angst-y teenager.

"It's my fault, Ukyo-san," Mari began, burning sapphire meeting both men's face with new determination. "I shouldn't have worried any of you like that and I apologize." She pulled her fingers from the idol's hand (which was quite the task considering how tightly he'd held onto her!) and clasped both of her hands together as she bowed deeply to the oldest brothers. "Fuuto wouldn't have left the hospital and risked making his condition worse if I hadn't flipped the bucket."

Fuuto gawked, caramel drops widening in surprise, "Mari…"

Ukyo-san shared a look with his older brother, a silent conversation passing between them for a few seconds while the blonde guitarist remained in her position. With a sigh, Ukyo-san finally relented his penetrating lawyer-stare and turned on his heel to head back down the hall. He called over his shoulder, announcing that lunch would be ready soon and Mari was expected to be there as soon as the table was set. Masaomi-san shook his head, a tiny twerk of a smile pulling at his lips despite the immense trouble the both of them were in. "While I am not pleased that you disregard my specific instructions, Fuuto-kun, I am glad that you were able to help Mari-chan in her crisis. However, I ask that next time you don't do such a reckless thing again. Alright?"

"Okay, Masaomi-nii."

His older brother grinned as he ruffled the idol's hair fondly and began to check the bandages diligently. Mari lifted her head slowly, unsure of this turn of events; nevertheless, she was relieved to hear that they weren't too terribly angry at them. She couldn't even imagine Masaomi-san being so pissed that he'd lose his cool and yell at them both.

"How do you feel, Mari-chan? Weak? Dizzy?" Having switched to doctor mode, the eldest Asahina switched from his brother to her with little pause as he eyed her for any sign of physical ailment.

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine now. I just had a lot of…emotions to work out."

A flood of blood rushed to her cheeks as he shifted his head to see better into her room. With a chuckle, he said, "Yes, I can tell."

"Sorry about the mess."

He waved her apology away with a good natured smile, "It's quite alright. There's nothing we can't fix in due time."

Fuuto reached out then, his arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her into his side where she rested her head against his shoulder with ease. "Let's get you cleaned up before the others see you."

Masaomi-san nodded, "If Ami-chan or Kyoko-chan saw you like this, it would break their hearts."

At their names, her stomach immediately lodged itself in her throat and refused to fall back to its original spot. "Are they…?" She swallowed and tried again, "Are they okay?"

"Ami-chan doesn't know much of what happened and we've done our best to keep it that way. Kyo-chan, on the other hand, appears to be holding it in with the help of Niwa-kun." At her crestfallen face, the kindest of the Asahinas quickly added, "I'll tell them that you are cleaning up. Take your time, understand?"

Unable to thank him clearly herself, Fuuto expressed her gratitude himself and began to lead her away.


	9. Healing

**Uh, hi? I'm really sorry for taking so long in updating this, but I promise once May arrives there will be chapters every other week. College is seriously kicking my ass right now, but I'm not out of the running just yet! I plan to finish this book before fall and that is a goal I intend to keep!**

 **Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Thanks for sticking around and being patient, for all the favs and follows, and thanks a lot for all of your reviews! They seriously make my day when I get an email alerting me to them.**

 **Enjoy and hopefully I'll see y'all again soon!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Guitarist**_

 _Chapter Nine_

" _Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that's because laughter completely engages the body and releases the mind. It connects us too others, and that in itself has a healing effect."—Marlo Thomas_

Sharp incisors pulled on the soft flesh of her bottom lip nervously as Fuuto turned the water faucets to the tub off. She was currently gripping the towel wrapped tightly around her naked flesh with bone-white knuckles. Every second that passed with the idol sharing the same room as her, no clothes protecting her from his gaze except a measly piece of silky cloth, had every one of her nerve endings on fire. He'd been respectful, his eyes never once trying to take a glance of her as she undressed; instead, he started her bath water and made sure it was the perfect temperature for her. Not even when the blonde insisted that it was alright for him to look at her again, Fuuto continued to keep his face turned as he directed her to the tub's edge.

With his other hand, he peeled the towel from her hands and helped her settle into the blessedly hot water. A sigh mixed with pleasure and mild pain as the scalding water immediately forced its way into her bones, Mari forgot all qualms of being naked in front of Fuuto and what his eyes would see now that her armor was gone. She lowered herself until her neck was completely submerged, practically purring with happiness. Man, did he know how to get the perfect temperature between molten lava and pelting hail.

"Enjoying yourself, are you?" The amusement in his tone was palpable as smooth fingers brushed through her tangled locks. Her neck shifted to the side to give him better access as he massaged her scalp and gradually led her head under the water. There, he made sure that every inch of her hair was wet before lifting her up again while simultaneously reaching for the shampoo bottle. As his knuckles and fingers dug into her scalp, giving her the full salon experience, she decided that he had to have taken lessons from Louis to make her toes curl like this. He chuckled, pulling her back under again as he carefully rinsed each strand, "A woman's weakness is her hair Louis-nii said once. Looks like he was right."

She patted his arm, impatient for him to continue, "You should never have shown your skills because now I'm going to tell Louis that you're washing my hair from now on."

"Heh…" His breath whispered at the shell of her ear, sending electricity down her spine and making her shudder. "I could help you wash more than just your hair, Mari _-koi._ "

Her breath hissed between suddenly clenched teeth as he latched onto her ear and jerked a hand out of the water in sudden urgency to grab hold of _something_. "I've changed my mind now."

He squirted some conditioner in his palm, that same smirk pulling the corners of his mouth upward, "Oh? Such a shame that I've already decided to give you the full spa treatment."

Mari gasped, her shoulders tightening as his mouth moved back to its previous spot and began to trail a path of scalding kisses along her neck and collarbone while his fingers delved into her hair again. "What kind of spa experience is this?" She shivered as his mouth blew cold air along her neck. "You're supposed to make the client relaxed not… _tense_."

The last word left in a whoosh of air as Fuuto's hands left her hair to ease the knots within her shoulders. A soft mewl left her lips before she could stop it and she turned into a pile of mush that threatened to blend with the water. Burning sapphire closed in bliss as she leaned her head against the tub and allowed Fuuto to do as he pleased for once. He rinsed her hair again and continued the massage that eventually turned to an exploration of the blonde's smooth flesh. If he didn't stop then she was more than positive that this was going to turn into something she wasn't even sure she wanted yet, and Mari didn't want to hurt him by her own insecurities. She was terrified yet excited at the same time, however, the blonde wasn't ready for the same experience Nishiomi Isao had forced upon her when she was nothing more than a naïve teenager.

Maybe after more time and slowly moving forward with her relationship with Fuuto, she could eventually accept him in that way. But, until then, she would have to continue to hurt him by pushing him away like this.

"S-stop," her voice a mere whisper mixed with pleasure and mild panic. His face was buried underneath her hair and his hands had travelled to the flat muscle of her abdomen which were slowly making their way upwards to her chest. Immediately, his hands froze and the soft caress of his breath dried the droplets of water sliding along her neck. "I-I can't, Fuuto. I'm—"

He pulled back in order to meet her gaze, the thoughtful gleam in sweet caramel and reassuring smile made her lose her voice. Never had she seen such an expression on his face before—not even in all the months she'd known him. As she floundered mentally, Fuuto's gaze never once left hers as he took her in like some beautiful painting hanging in an art gallery. He nodded and backed off, that same smile still on his face as he picked up her discarded towel. Mari gawked after him unabashedly as he held it out to her, both hands under the soft cloth and held out to help her. Unsure by this behavior, she stood up, the water cascading down her dark skin like a waterfall, and tried to keep her blush under control as he held onto her hands.

The towel was the only layer separating her body from his wandering hands that briskly and efficiently dried her off. When he was satisfied with that, he turned his attention to her blonde locks, carefully capturing each strand and ensuring almost every drop of water was absorbed through the towel. Mari kept her gaze trained on the wall behind him, anything to keep herself from thinking how utterly _vulnerable_ she was as he continued to baby her. She couldn't decide if she liked the treatment or not, but she wasn't willing to tell him to quit and let her do it instead. She'd already told him no and pushed him away, and besides, what was the harm of allowing him this luxury?

"I had Ukyo-nii bring you some fresh clothes from your room," he murmured, handing her the towel to wrap herself in and turned on his heel, his back suddenly facing her. "Go ahead and change."

She raised an eyebrow, "You are the strangest person I have ever met, Asahina Fuuto."

A small chuckle like the whispering of the wind flitted from his mouth. "I could say the same to you, Himimori Mari." He glanced over his shoulder, a twinkling in his eyes that belied his amusement, "Now get dressed before I do it for you."

Snorting, she waved at him to turn back around while she headed over to the counter, finding a pair of sweats and a large shirt folded with great OCD-like precision. Mari sighed in relief when she saw the clean underwear hiding just under the shirt and quickly put them on first before moving on to her shirt. Once fully clothed, Mari reached for the comb at the other end of the counter and freed her hair of the painful tangles and knots that loved to make nests in the blonde strands despite her shorter hairstyle. She was trying to be as quick as possible, not wanting to make the pop star wait any more than he had to because she _knew_ how impatient he could be, but her hair just refused to cooperate today. Eyes narrowed at a particular pesky knot that was beginning to entangle in the teeth of the comb, she searched the counter for any conditioner spray to help. Unfortunately, there was none in sight and a frustrated sigh whistled past clenched teeth.

She glared at the pesky strand and tried to ease the comb out of its blonde constraints but only proceeded to make it worse. Finally, in a fit of exasperation and irritation at her lack of independence, Mari stomped over to Fuuto and crossed her arms as she sidestepped into his line of vision. His gaze was unfocused as he stared ahead, but the minute she appeared in front of him, faraway caramel sharpened. A twitch settled at the corner of his mouth as he took in her situation and without comment, which was out of character for him since he _always_ had something snide to say, Fuuto began to slide the comb through the knot with ease that instantly had her green with envy. Definitely learned a few things from Louis.

Finished, Fuuto intertwined his hand with hers, dragging her back to the counter to deposit the hair comb back in its rightful place, and proceeded to lead her out the bathroom which was steaming with hot air. A cold breeze attacked her the minute they entered the loft and she shivered, seeking Fuuto's warmth unabashedly as her hair dripped down her back and clung to her neck. She refused to look at him, knowing full well that he was probably smirking at her sudden dependence of him. She just needed him as her rock for one day. _One day_ and she would be back to standing on her own two feet again. It was temporary and though there were a few things she enjoyed about actively giving control to someone else for once, she knew it was impossible for her to remain that way. Mari didn't need someone to hold her hand and guide her like a blind newborn. She could handle her own problems either with or without help, but she would lead the charge and not allow anyone else to decide things for her.

"You're scowling," Fuuto murmured into her ear, eliciting a small shiver.

A single sapphire glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Just thinking too hard again."

"Don't worry about the press conference you promised." He pulled them to a stop, grasping her chin and demanding she meet his eyes. "We'll push it off for as long as possible so we can plan ahead. I'm sure you don't want to go into too much detail about your sisters and parents' death, right? It'll be too much for Kyoko and Ami-chan to handle after keeping them in the dark so long."

"I want them to stay there even if it means that they'll eventually find out through the wrong people. I have to continue to protect them."

"And Nishiomi?" He caressed her cheek, an action that seemed out of place with the sudden anger that blazed within his eyes.

Mari reached up, her fingers brushing against his caramel curls in an act to calm him, and gave a slight smile. "I'll admit my past relationship with him along with our falling out, but keep most of the details a secret. At least then we can keep the Nishiomi family from coming at us for possible 'slander'." She rolled her eyes at the thought, "I'd rather not have to deal with any court hearings in the near future."

"Good," he leaned down, pressing his lips to her forehead and sighing. "Promise to stay by my side and that won't happen."

She nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. "I'll try, but don't get all romantic and mushy on me, got it? You acting like this is kinda weird."

His chuckle vibrated against her ear, "Oh, don't worry. This is a one-day kind of thing. After this, expect nothing but a hard time from me."

"Great," the blonde deadpanned, but inwardly she was pleased with his answer.

"C'mon, let's head downstairs before Ukyo-nii decides to come looking for us." With his typical smirk back in place, they continued their journey through the giant mansion, and with his hand intertwined in her hers, Mari felt that she _could_ face the world's cruel games with her head held high. She didn't have anything to fear as long as she had him by her side.

The stares she received from both of her sisters as well as the rest of the Asahinas made the blonde feel like she sprouted a second head. They watched her carefully as she descended the stairs from the loft and had it not been for Fuuto's firm hand grounding her then she would've ran straight back to her room. She _really_ didn't want to talk about her little episode with twenty-plus freakin' people in the room. Hell, even Ami-chan and Wataru were there, sitting still on the couch between Louis and Iori both of who were ensuring that the children would remain seated. She could see Wataru and her little sister quivering, they wanted to rush into her arms and give her the biggest of hugs because couldn't hugs heal the biggest of wounds and make the pain better? She smiled at them, throwing a small wave their way in recognition. Mari and Fuuto stopped in front of their family, the blonde biting her lip as she risked a glance at Kyo who had a death grip on Azusa's arm.

"Now that we're all here," Masaomi-san began, throwing a sideway glance to Ema-chan at the other end who sat beside Yusuke-sempai and Kaname and then to the other side where Iori was. "Shall we discuss this current issue as a family?"

She winced under the slight scolding glare he sent in her direction, but she straightened her shoulders and raised her chin. She wasn't going to allow Nishiomi Isao or Kuroki Aiko tear her down so easily. As far as she was concerned, they could knock down all her stone walls as much as they liked but there was nothing they could do to bring her to her knees. Not anymore. From now on, Mari was going to remain strong, to become unyielding against their low blows, and to be the older sister that could properly protect her sisters. Because, at the end of the day, they were one of the many precious treasures that she _must_ keep safe from thieving privateers.

Mari nodded, meeting everyone's eye with a calm resolve. "I'm not running away anymore."

"No more secrets?" Ukyo-san cut in, raising a blonde brow.

His critical gaze surveyed her face as she replied, "None. I'll tell you everything that I know."

"You promise?" Kyo stared at her with such agony and conviction that it took everything Mari had to keep from running over to soothe her sister. "You're not going to try and keep this all to yourself and suffer alone? Because I can't…" She took a deep breath, attempting to hold back her tears, "I can't handle another—I _won't_ take another meltdown like that. I seriously thought you wouldn't ever come out just like—!"

Azusa pulled her closer to his chest, shushing her gently as her delicate shoulders shook slightly. Fuuto squeezed Mari's hand, meeting her eye as she glanced at him desperately. She _hated_ being the reason why Kyo cried, but there wasn't much she could say that would make her stop. She was all out of words that magically fixed anything and everything. The pop star spoke up, taking the attention away from Kyo who was trying to get a hold of herself, "I think we should listen to what Mari has to say as to _why_ she decided to act so rashly first."

"I agree." Natsume met her eyes with hard violet.

"Alright," Mari sighed, eying the two small children for a moment with slight hesitancy before beginning, "I was so ridden with guilt that Fuuto had been hurt because of me that I wasn't thinking straight. Then with so many paparazzi demanding a comment and knowing that I couldn't possibly satisfy the public with whatever bull I said, I figured if I switched the attention from Fuuto to me then they'd back off for a while."

"Correct assumption, however, you didn't _think_ about what the consequences might be if you did an interview."

She gritted her teeth, ignoring Natsume's blunt comment and continued. "When Natsume got it through my thick skull that whatever I said could hurt or damage Kyo and Ami-chan's reputation, it freaked me out. I never thought about it because no one's _ever_ known about me or who my family are because Manager-san reassured me after I signed the contract that until I was ready, my sisters would remain a secret along with my identity. The truth is," Mari addressed Kyo now, her eyes watering a little, "I couldn't believe what I'd done. In order to take attention away from Fuuto, I placed myself and both of _you_ right under the magnifying glass without a care. What kind of Onee-chan am I if I use the two of you like that? I didn't mean to frighten you, Kyo and Ami-chan. I'm terribly sorry."

She shook her hand free from Fuuto's grip and bowed ninety degrees to both of her younger sisters as a single tear fell from her lashes. Then, the blonde stood erect again and met the eldest of the Asahinas brothers, "Thank you for everything that you've done for me and my sisters. I apologize for all the inconveniences, both past and future, that we have and will bring to your family."

She bowed again, remaining in that position for a full minute as the entire room fell completely silent. Not even the chorus of people breathing could be heard as the collective number of siblings from two families took in everything she had said. The sincerity of her apology and determination in her words to make things right having an eclectic reaction. Her younger sisters were so floored by the fact that Mari had shared the deepest of her fears with them that anything after that was almost completely lost. Masaomi-san and Ukyo-san seemed very pleased that the blonde wasn't going to do anything rash and reckless that might impair her health anymore, and Natsume was absolutely pleased with the fact that he had gotten in her hard head that there were other consequences besides those that affected her. Tsubaki couldn't shut his mouth at how honest she was and she could've sword Subaru blinked three times over the course of three seconds. Azusa, Iori, and Louis were the least surprised as Yusuke-sempai tried to formulate some kind of sentence to Ema-chan who sat just beside him quietly and studied her friend with watery eyes.

"I'm so glad you've decided to share your deepest angsts with us, Tiger Lily," Kaname intoned sweetly, clearly appeased by her growing trust.

She rolled her eyes as she stood up, "I will _never_ talk with you about my problems, pervert monk."

"Good," Fuuto pulled her to his side, his face nudging her cheek as caramel curls tickled her skin. "I'd hate to fight with my older brother about _my_ girl."

"Heeh…Fuuto-kun has become possessive," Tsubaki teased, grinning mischievously and having recovered from Mari's sudden honesty.

"Shut up, Tsu," Mari barked, cheeks lightening to a pretty rouge.

Masoami-san approached the pair, pulling at Fuuto's injured arm with a firm yet gentle hand to check the bandages. He frowned at the soaked gauze and raised an eyebrow at his younger brother. "Must you always make it difficult for me to treat your wounds?"

Fuuto shrugged, "It's a habit."

The eldest chuckled fondly, "Yes, I know. You always made sure I had a hard time."

"I can actually see him acting like an ass—uh, _jerk_ about that." Mari rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, wincing at Masaomi-san's admonishment via stare at her near slip-up.

"Onee-chan!" A tiny torpedo with a mop of golden hair slammed into her stomach, tiny arms trying to wrap around her waist as tightly as they could, and a pair of doe-eyes filled with unshed tears stared up at her. "Don't do that again!"

Mari lowered herself, grabbing Ami-chan's hands and interlocking her fingers around the blonde's neck, and nodded. "I promise I won't ever do it again."

Ami-chan scrutinized her older sister's face with a pouting frown. In all seriousness, the little girl held out her hand, pinky raised, and asked, "Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise," the guitarist said, smiling gently.

"On your star, too?"

"Even on my star, Ami-chan."

Kyo came up on her older sister's side, pulling at her cheek with a scowl, "You better keep it too or I'll make sure you revert back to your chipmunk days."

Mari cringed, reaching up and retaliating by grabbing Kyo's other cheek, "If you don't watch it, I'll make you return there with me."

Ami-chan giggled, watching the two pull and pinch harder as they continued to threaten each other with old embarrassing stories from their childhood and showing the collection of pictures their mother had created as they grew up. Some of which were of them in ridiculous outfits and enacting embarrassing plans that could be used as lifelong blackmail if anyone ever saw it.

Mirth echoed around the three siblings as the Asahina brothers as well as Ema-chan released a collective bout of laughter at their antics. It was nice to laugh and joke around again, Mari thought as she almost spilled the beans of the time Kyo decided that bringing home three puppies and dyeing their white fur blue with Kool-Aid was a good idea. Tsubaki and both children wanted to hear the tale, practically jumping up and down in impatience as Kyo finally released Mari's reddening and bruising cheek. Giggling, Mari tried to tell them but the dark-haired Himimori slapped a hand over her mouth before she could say a word.

 _Yes, this was right. This is how I should've gone._

As the rowdy bunch continued to enjoy each other in their happiness and relief, Mari felt her heart break free of the claw-like grip that had left her gasping for air. She found it was a lot easier to relax into this warm glow surrounding her. It wasn't hard like it had been before and she figured it had been the collective effort of the Asahinas as well as her sisters for that. She smiled as Fuuto's hand found hers again and her eyes met his. Content warmed the caramel drops but it was the overwhelming flood of _love_ in his gaze that had heat flooding her cheeks and pooling into her stomach. She'd never really seen him look at her that way, but in that moment she knew that he truly did _love_ her so strongly that he would gladly sacrifice himself if the need arose. In that second as their eyes held, she couldn't help but be glad that Kyo had forced her to go to his band tryouts, or stop the surge of gratitude toward Ryou for giving her the confidence to actually _do_ the audition.

 _Maybe I should buy him some kind of thank-you for that...And I could probably loosen the leash for Kyo and let her actually_ _ **leave**_ _the house for a date with Niwa-sempai as long as they returned before ten o'clock._


	10. Truth

Long time no see, eh? I'd like to say on behalf of every college student: **College fucking sucks.** Anyway, I have not, in any shape or form, given up on this story. College classes just really messed me up and this semester absolutely _sucked._ By the time I finished finals, I needed a serious break from life so I took about a three week break, which I spent reacquainting myself to this story and its characters since English Lit. kinda had my brain hostage for a few months.

I hope this is worth the wait and y'all had a good holiday so far! Oh, and an early Happy New Years!

 **~Delyth**

 **This chapter is in memory of Carrie Fisher. May the Force continue to be with you on your journey home.**

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Guitarist**_

 _Chapter Ten_

" _The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."—Winston Churchill_

" _Recently,"_ the female host for the morning news began with a steady voice, _"Asakura Fuuto's guitarist, Himimori Mari-san, has become a popular topic amongst internet forums for the rising popstar as well as other news outlets. Himimori-san's manager announced her identity a few months ago after rumors spread Asakura-san was secretly dating a mysterious blonde girl who attended his high school._

" _Unfortunately, no further information has been released about Himimori-san due to her wishes to preserve her younger sisters' personal lives as private. Despite this, she announced her acceptance to attend an interview after Asakura-san's unfortunate assault to sate the world's curiosity of this peculiar guitarist. She has yet to uphold this promise, but her manager told_ Star Weekly _Himimori-san wished to remain by Asakura-san's side during his recovery and will be interviewed later this month. However, through an anonymous source, we have received intriguing information regarding the young guitarist."_

The female anchor turned to her co-host with a forced smile, as if she hated the words she was about to utter to her male counterpart, and continued, _"Nearly two years ago, Himimori-san was accosted by Nishiomi Aruto-san's eighteen-year-old son, Nishiomi Isao-san, who was just released from prison after winning the parole board over."_

" _Why, that's quite the background for an up-and-coming teenaged guitarist such as Himimori-san. It is no wonder she decided to hide away from the public and remain mysterious."_ The male anchor commented with a quiet chuckle. His eyes had a harsh gleam in them and it was quite clear to Mari whose side he was on regardless of whether he knew her or not. _"To think she had already dated a rather famous and well-endowed boy before Asakura-san is quite the feat. She must have a type for the rich and princely types like so many teenage girls her age."_

Mari noticed the woman visibly wince at his harsh view towards her character and the flash of indignant anger in her eyes immediately caught her attention as the newswoman argued, _"To judge a girl so harshly and depict her as a liar after everything she has been through is inconceivable, Teriko-san. Could you do the same to other women who might have made rape allegations toward strong and rich men?"_

" _Hoshina-san, this is merely my unbiased opinion toward her past situation. In fact, is it not_ _ **odd**_ _that her parents were killed almost a year after this rape incident? Or that our anonymous source has given us information in regards to their deaths?"_

" _Be that as it may, we must not depict Himimori-san as something she clearly is not until she, herself, has come forward to explain what we have been given."_

The blonde guitarist gritted her teeth, her grip on the table nearly breaking her fingers as both of her sisters leaned forward in horror and curiosity. They were about to find out the one secret she had never wanted them to hear—the one terrible nightmare she had hoped would never reach their ears and ruin the happy image of their parents and the happy life they had. Why had she turned on the damn TV to hear the news instead of just eating her breakfast?

The male anchor, Teriko-san, nodded his head to his co-host in agreement although it was quite clear he would not spare Mari any empathy for her situation. _"Very well. Shall we continue?"_ With a verbal affirmative from Hoshina-san, he went on to say, _"News of Himimori-san's parents' death spread after the fiasco with Nishiomi Isao-san's trial. Police claimed a failed robbery attempt ended the lives of Himimori Kenta-san and Himimori Chieko-san; however, our source claims their deaths were due to a confrontation gone awry. Kenta-san had discovered his wife's affair with another man and had become intoxicated before the altercation, which quickly led to violence. He had a psychotic break and killed his wife with a permitted handgun he kept to protect his family in case of a robbery._

" _Himimori Mari-san, knowing her father was willing to kill herself and her sisters, took them to the bathroom to hide until the authorities arrived. Kenta-san, unable to reach his three children, ended his life with a gunshot wound to the heart. Our inside source explained that he shot his heart instead of his head to symbolize the betrayal of Chieko-san. Upon hearing the final shot and no further movement, Himimori Mari-san is described as covering the incident as a failed robbery instead of foul play. She has…"_

Someone turned off the TV, for which Mari was slightly grateful for, but the damage had been done. It was too late as Kyo then a sniffling Ami turned to glance at their older sister who could only stare hollowly back. Kyo would see straight through any excuse she tried to use as her emerald eyes glazed over to read her aura. Mari closed her eyes and took a deep breath, bracing for the explosive impact of her sister's rare temper. She could hear Ami's sniffles quickly shift to loud sobs as the air froze with large doses of tension. No one in the room spoke or moved as the two Himimori sisters—Yin and Yang, light and dark—continued to wordlessly look at each other. Then, finally, as if a cord had snapped, Kyo shouted:

"Just _what_ have you done?"

Mari clenched her fists as she placed them on the table. Fuuto was to her right and Tsu to her left, but their presence, so buoyant with mischief and life, were completely nonexistent to her as she held her sister's furious glare. "I did it to protect both of you, Kyo. I didn't want us broadcasted on every news station for months after losing our parents—even if Papa had murdered Mom and would've done the same if I hadn't hidden us." Her voice cracked but she continued anyway before Kyo could butt in. "I know you're pissed, I don't blame you. I should've told you what really happened, but I just couldn't. There was never a right time and after…and after—"

"Don't you _fucking dare_ pull the rape card on me, Mari," Kyo roared with all the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs. "You could have told us after you were better! If not Ami-chan then me! Do you not trust me? I know I'm younger than you, Nee-chan, but _I'm not a Goddamn child!_ Why can't you see that I don't need you to protect me? All you do is keep secrets and refuse to listen to whatever we tell you because you're so fucking _stubborn._ And that stubbornness is going to either get you killed or make you lose someone you love. Do you _want_ that?"

She frowned at her younger sister, her brows pulling together and a storm brewing within twin oceans. "I don't want to lose anyone, Kyoko, but I _will not_ let anyone hurt you. Why do you think that I kept my identity as Fuuto's guitarist a _secret?_ I did it for you and Ami-chan because I care and I don't want you two lose any more of your childhood!"

Yusuke-senpai nudged Ema-chan, who met his gaze briefly, and grabbed Ami's hand gently before leading the poor child away from her older sisters' arguing. Masaomi-san was quick to take Wataru away from the scene as the twins, Fuuto, Niwa-senpai, and Ukyo-san prepared for a possible brawl.

Kyo slammed her hands on the table, eyes blazing and face scrunched in a snarl almost completely identical to Mari's own growing rage. "Don't say that it was for us! Taking Fuuto-kun's offer and pursuing your dream was all for you! The only reason why you even attended that audition was because we needed money and I wanted to get you out of the damn house. What _childhood_ were you trying to save? I sacrificed so much to ensure you didn't kill yourself! _So, what do you mean by protect us when there's nothing to save us from?_ Nishiomi is the only threat here, yet you always have to be so damn _controlling!_ " She stood up, her voice rising in another bellow as Niwa-senpai grabbed her arm to keep her from doing something she might later regret, but she yanked free of his grip. "You may be my sister, but you _are not Mom or Papa!_ "

Mari snapped, her muscles uncoiling in a sudden burst that had her shooting across their breakfast table with enough force to send her chair flying backward and leave the twins and Fuuto scrambling after her feet. She slammed into her sister with a roar so loud that it shook the windows. _"I can't lose you! What do you think will happen to me if I don't have you or Ami-chan?"_

"We're not the only ones, you baka!" Kyo flailed and slapped and yanked at her hair, but Mari held fast and pushed her down until her sister couldn't move. Strong hands pulled insistently at her shirt and without glancing behind her to see who it was, she released one of Kyo's wrists to punch blindly at his face. There was grunt then another scrambling of feet as someone tried to hold back another infuriated boy.

"Don't you think I _know that?_ Fuuto, Tsu, Asuza, Ema-chan, Yusuke-senpai—the Asahina family as a whole—even that damn perverted monk-wannabe. I love each one of them, but I know Nishiomi Isao better than you, Kyoko." Eyes wild and quickly losing her sanity, Mari shook her sister's shoulders desperately. Trying to force her to see the true danger here. That she had lied to protect her sisters from the wrath of the Nishiomi family and allowed her parents' true deaths to remain hidden. "I didn't tell you because if I did then—then _they_ would know my weakness. _They'd_ exploit it and make sure that I lost both you and Ami-chan. _They_ would make sure I lost everything and everyone I ever cared for."

"I could have helped!" Kyo shouted, tears streaming down her face as she punched Mari's chest feebly. "I could have helped you! Could have shared the burden but you never _let me in._ "

Her sobs grew louder and the blonde realized that her own tears were gliding down her cheeks and landing on her sister's forehead. Unable to stand it any longer, she sat back on Kyo's legs and placed her head in her hands.

She destroyed her sister's trust. She broke her family. The realization nearly shattered what was left of her heart and the half-wail, half-shriek of frustration, agony, and the feeling of someone who is _broken_ , erupted from Mari's throat. The blonde peaked around her hands and murmured hoarsely, "I can't lose you. Mom and Papa—Nishiomi—Asaki—I lost almost everything in a span of barely two years. I knew by keeping this from you—that locking you out wasn't right, but I'd already burdened you enough…" Mari swallowed, trying to get rid of the tightness in her throat. She didn't know how she recognized Fuuto's warm fingers gripping her shoulders, but she was grateful for his presence. "I'm so, so _sorry,_ Kyo."

Crumbled as she was, with the remaining stone walls protecting her breaking heart slowly falling around her, Kyo gazed at her sister with a coldness she'd never seen. Those normally bright green eyes were two chips of the iciest glaciers and her lips thinned into a straight line. There was only a freezing and burning anger within that glare—there was nothing more Mari could say to alleviate the situation except step aside. Anything else she may have said to convince her that what she did—that lying to them had been for their own good—wasn't worth the potential mental breakdown that was at the very edges of her mind.

Kyo shoved Mari off her legs, Niwa-senpai grasping both arms to help her stand, and Kyo glared down at the blonde with disgust, pity, anger, and a hint of sadness. She didn't say another word, but it was clear that words weren't needed to crush what was left of Mari's heart. Her sister pushed passed the remaining Asahina brothers, Niwa-senpai practically on her heels with a guiding hand at her back, and stormed up the stairs to the loft where the elevator was waiting. She remembered Niwa-senpai glancing at her out the corner of his eye before shaking his head in either sadness or pity, she wasn't sure.

"Mari?" Fuuto murmured into her ear, his breath parting the wisps of her blonde hair as he spoke her name with the gentlest of caresses. She felt him sit behind her and pull insistently at her before she mindlessly crawled into his lap where he enwrapped her with his warmth, love, and comfort. "Shh…Shh…"

She didn't even realize that her tears had started again or the fact that her sobs had turned into heart-wrenching wails. All she could think about, over and over again, was: _What have I done?_ It was a mantra in her head, constantly bouncing along her mind and leaving another dent in her mental armor.

 _How could I keep them in the dark for so long when I knew Kuroki possibly found more than what she led on?_

"Ukyo-nii," Azusa watched Mari struggle to breathe against Fuuto's chest as she clutched at his shirt with a tight scrunch of his lips. "What can we do? Someone leaked her personal information—information that I remember Mari-san being separate from her initial school file."

The second oldest Asahina sibling nodded, his blue eyes freezing as he adjusted his glasses. "I will call this news station and ask for the name of their 'anonymous' tipper. No one will harm another member of our family anymore."

Tsu nodded, violet eyes bright with a fire not normally seen for the mischievous voice actor, and his voice had an edge to it. "I'm tired of us being three steps behind everybody. It's time we change that and make them wish they'd never messed with our family." His gaze lingered on Mari, who had cried so much that she'd fallen asleep with exhaustion. Fuuto pulled his girlfriend to his chest and carefully stumbled to his feet. "I don't want to see Future Imoto-chan lose anyone else or cry again."

Fuuto looked up at his older brothers, his caramel eyes smoldering in their quiet fury as he watched Mari sleep almost peacefully. Her face was red with snot slowly dripping to her upper lip and tears still clinging tightly to her lashes. He was sick and tired of seeing her like this—slowly healing only to turn back around and nearly shatter all over again right in front of his eyes. "Whoever did this— _they will pay._ "

Ukyo shook his head sharply and took his cell from his shirt's pocket. "Absolutely not, Fuuto. You have to keep your reputation as an idol."

"Screw my rep!" He snapped, eyes blazing, "All of this is slowly killing her! Look at her, Ukyo-nii!"

"I know you are upset and frustrated, but we must gather information and plan accordingly. We _will_ catch whoever did this and bring them to justice," Ukyo said fiercely, his tone deadly in its cadence as he met his younger brother's gaze. "I hate seeing her like this as well, Fuuto, and rest assured, these bastards will wish they never messed with us."

Tsu tilted his head, one brow raised as he inquired, "How do you plan to fix Future Imoto-chan's rep, Ukyo-nii?"

"Simple," Ukyo said, his lips pulling into a shark's smile that he used especially in the court, "We tell the truth. Malice and hate, ignorance and assumptions, can try to twist the truth into their favor, but there is nothing that can change what is already proven fact. We just need to show the world that."

Fuuto's brows scrunched together as he sneered, "Oh, _real_ simple. And how do you expect we do that?"

"An interview." Ukyo's predator-like smirk widened to show bright teeth. "She did already promise to answer the paparazzi's questions, remember?"

Azusa chuckled as both Tsu and Fuuto blinked in surprise. "You are quite the genius, Ukyo-nii."

He adjusted his glasses and began to dial Manager-san's phone. "I do try to achieve perfection when it comes to current cases, Azusa." His attention shifted briefly to Fuuto who was still holding Mari tightly to his chest. "Take her to your room for now, Fuuto. Make sure she drinks some water when she wakes up. I'll take care of things for now. Don't worry, alright?"

Slowly, Fuuto nodded as he took the first step to head up to his room. "I'll leave it to you, Ukyo-nii." He turned on is heel and headed toward the stairs, but paused just as he lifted on leg to start up the staircase. "Ukyo-nii?"

"Yes?"

Almost a murmur, and barely audible, Fuuto said gratefully, "Thank you."

Smiling as he watched his little brother climb the stairs, Ukyo met the twins' gazes with a slight twinkle. "That girl is changing our Fuuto-kun for the better."

"I told you! I knew she'd be a Future Imoto-chan!"

"Tsubaki, don't wake her up. We need to clean up this mess why Ukyo-nii makes his phone calls."

A whine. "Do we have to?"

There was a slight icy pause before Tsu's voice rose again in a high-pitched and panicked, "Alright! Alright!"

Ukyo shook his head at his little brothers with an amused smile and soft eyes. Together, he decided as Manager-san answered, they would clean up this mess that had slowly become Mari-chan's life.


	11. Scars

_**Okay… So, it's been a long time since I've updated and I've been out of school since the second week of May. Why am I now getting back into updating this story? Well, I don't really have an excuse other than I was having a lot problems writing this chapter. I couldn't find the right way I wanted these scenes to pan out so it took a lot longer than I would've liked.**_

 _ **I also went on a trip to Hawaii for ten days (it was soooooo fun) and I couldn't concentrate at all. Then, my summer online class started in the first week of June so I was working on that. In midst of all this, I was still trying to figure out how I wanted to write this chapter and it just refused to cooperate with me at every turn. I'm still not sure I'm completely satisfied with it, but out of all the drafts, this one is the best and conveys what I want to convey.**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone who has continued to review, favorite, and follow both this story and The Duties of a High School Guitarist. I try to read every review I get and it always brings a smile to my face when I get notifications about a new follower or favorite. I know this A/N is getting pretty long here, but just one more thing! The next chapter might be…a little sexual and I'm both excited to write it and absolutely terrified. We'll see how it turns out!**_

 _ **Enjoy the chapter!**_

 _ **~Delyth**_

* * *

 _ **The Realities of a High School Celebrity**_

 _Chapter Eleven_

" _It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."—Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy_

Mari breathed deeply, her face relaxed and free of stress for what must be the first time in the past month. Her pale hair flared around her head like a halo as Fuuto watched her sleep. It was a long night…she had thrashed restlessly in his bed and cried desperately for her sisters' but to no avail. The nightmare that haunted her now was one he couldn't fight away with words or a kiss at her temple. All he could do was hold her hand and embrace her when she bolted upright gasping for air with tears streaking down her red cheeks. Oh, how he _hated_ to see her like this. She was torturing herself—blaming herself for the decision she had made in the end to protect the integrity of her parents for Kyo and Ami.

That's all she had ever done for as long as he'd known her. Protect and shield and lie all for the sake of someone else. Was there not a time she allowed herself to relax? To simply live life as a teenager? He couldn't think of one as he brushed his thumb along her cheek. Mari's lips scrunched slightly, drawing in a puff of air at being disturbed. Even while asleep she was just like a hellcat—though, to Fuuto she appeared more like a kitten pawing at him weakly as his fingers continued to tickle her jaw. He chuckled, his Mari was there buried underneath all the weight of pain, stress, and trauma. And, just like any other time, she would rise above it all and surprise him with her resilience and determination.

She mumbled in her sleep, turning her head and pressed his palm closer to her cheek. Her brows furrowed a moment before smoothing out as she breathed in his scent. Fuuto smiled as pride surged in his chest at her ability to recognize him even while asleep.

"Purring like a kitten, eh, Mari?" Her breath whispered along his thumb as he caressed her bottom lip. His eyes softened as he continued to watch her dream.

Hopefully, it was a good dream and one that would last.

 **~o~**

 _Mari sighed at her rather empty guitar case as the last chord drifted through the wind to the passing crowd. The sun was beginning to set behind the trees of the park she currently claimed as her stage and her bright eyes caught sight of her two sisters playing amongst the jungle gym. Her lips pulled upward at the carefree laughter flitting past their mouths and lifting her mood to a new height as she began to strum another song. Calluses from years of playing guitar caressed the strings with ease, and out of habit, her bottom lip found its way between her teeth as her fingers found its rhythm. She would get them enough money to have supper at least one more night._

 _Ever since the death of their parents a few months ago, Mari became the surrogate mother and caretaker for her younger sisters. She had always played the acoustic guitar ever since Papa gave it to her for her fifth birthday, and now she was using her love for music to give them money for food. Social workers placed them in a foster home after foster home for a few months until their Aunt Saya came and signed legal documents that stated she was their guardian. Unfortunately, Aunt Saya's gentle and compassionate heart ultimately led her downfall as she didn't have the money to support not only herself but three growing girls. Hence, Mari taking to the streets to perform and get some extra money so she could at least feed her sisters and herself._

 _Her platinum curls danced in the breeze like tiny gold fairies and the furrow between her brows melted away as the music soothed her worrisome thoughts. Piercing cobalt eyes disappeared under thick lashes as she allowed herself to be carried away for the moment. The pattering of people's shoes became distant and the dying golden rays highlighted her caramel skin. Ami's squeals of delight lost their pitch as they faded away and Kyo's teasing voice sounded muffled._

" _You're really good," a male voice said gently._

 _She opened her eyes and met a pair of lilac orbs framed by thick blonde lashes. His pale blonde hair fell in loose waves that softened his jawline and high cheek bones. Mari continued to play as the man dressed in a white and blue polka-dotted sweater and a pair of tight pants that hugged his hips just right deposited some cash in her guitar case. It was the most money she'd seen all day since coming to the park, and she had a strong suspicion that he could easily hand out some more with no trouble. In fact, she was shocked that he hadn't been scammed or robbed as his eyes, though gentle, appeared distant as if he was seeing something faraway. As if he was in his own little world._

" _Thank you, sir." Mari eyed him up and down again while her fingers transitioned to an upbeat tempo with ease._

 _The man smiled as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back as another breeze drifted toward them. "You should perform on a bigger stage, I think. I could style your hair and do your make-up for you."_

 _Mari's cheeks warmed despite herself. She didn't think she was that great since Aunt Saya couldn't afford to keep up with her guitar lessons. "I don't know. Maybe—but I don't think I could do it."_

 _She could hear Ami and Kyo's laughter stop as they noticed the man standing in front of Mari. Without having to turn around, Mari knew her sister was heading her way with Ami in tow. Oblivious, the man smiled softly. "You won't know until you try."_

 _Kyo touched her sister's shoulder, careful not to jar her but enough to let Mari know she was there. Her heart eased a little at the contact and her reply was a little sharper than before. "Thank you, sir, but a life of fame isn't for me."_

 _He finally opened those soft eyes again and began to dig around in his pockets a moment. Mari's fingers nearly paused on the strings as she watched him warily—she really hoped she wasn't talking to some pedophile who was about to hold them at knife point. That'd be her luck. Kyo's hand tightened on the blonde's shoulder as the man finally found whatever it was he was looking for._

 _In his hand was a crinkled poster boasting an audition for musicians all ages and genders. Mari's fingers stopped strumming as she stared and stared at the piece of paper in his hand. He noticed her rapture for it and without comment, placed it in the guitar case as well. Her brows rose in surprise and she gawked at him as he wandered off._

" _Hey, mister!" Kyo called out, her sudden shout making Mari jump and her ears to ring. "What's your name?"_

 _The man paused to glance over his shoulder and his head tilted to the side slightly as if he was trying to concentrate on them and not his own world. "Asahina Louis."_

 _Who knew that this strange hair-loving and hippie-like man could help change her life for the better?_

 **~o~**

"Kyo," Harue touched her arm in an effort to calm down his seething girlfriend. For over a week, she had refused to see Mari and could barely speak her name without the amount of betrayal and rage Kyo felt. He understood why his girl was furious, but he also could relate why Himimori-san had decided to keep this terrible secret away from her sisters. If he had younger siblings in the same situation then Harue would do the make the same decision. The only problem was Kyo refused to see from Himimori-san's perspective, and try as he might, she refused to listen to anyone on the matter.

She shrugged his hand off and stomped further into the garden. He often found her here amongst the sea of flowers Iori-san had planted and continued to look after. A vast array of colors danced amongst the dark green of the bushes and they caught any passerby's eye as soon as they entered the make-shift paradise. There were clearly marked paths for the residences to walk on and there were at least six different stone benches placed throughout the large garden that he could think of. Whoever made the layout knew what they were doing as the benches were always near the more rare and beautiful flowers.

Sighing, Harue followed closely behind until he grabbed her forearm and jerked her back into his chest. Yelping in surprise and almost slamming too hard into his chest, Kyo's legs tangled together and she collapsed against him. His lips twitched into a slight smile and his burgundy hair slipped free from his headband to dangle in front of his eyes. His girl blushed at how close they were before shaking her head and struggling to break free.

He tried again, holding firm as he slipped his arms around her waist. "Kyo, will you listen to me for a second? I know you're pissed off at Himimori-san, but I want you to hear me out first. Then, you can scream, yell, hit, or run away and I won't bother you again. 'Kay?"

Kyo's lips thinned into a single line and her thin brows furrowed as jade eyes darkened to hard emeralds. She vibrated with anger and he was prepared for her to yell at him—to tell him to leave her alone and stay out of her business because what right did he have? They'd only been dating for about two months and he had his own dangerous secrets that would more than likely scare her away, but he still wanted her to be happy and be a part of her life. She was the light within his dark world of blood, conspiracy, and violence. As cliché as it sounded, he didn't know if he could survive without her at his side anymore—even with this little taste of Kyo, he only wanted more and he _craved_ her. And if it ever came to that moment where it was too dangerous or she didn't want him anymore, Harue would respect her wishes.

His muscles stiffened as she opened her mouth, but instead of shouting at him, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Harue counted to ten in his head as he watched her jaw slowly relax and her furrowed brows smoothed out. The breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding finally whooshed through his nose just as Kyo opened those slightly dark green eyes and fixated them on him. Every time he gazed into those piercing jades, his heart skipped a beat and it took every ounce of control he had not to devour her pure soul and taint it with his.

"Alright…I'll try to listen." Kyo shifted until she was holding half of her own weight but continued to lean into him. She closed her eyes again and rested her head against his chest, right over his heart where it beat erratically inside his ribs.

Harue gazed down at the top of her head, watching in mild fascination at how _right_ it felt to have her rest against him like this. The way her arms easily wrapped around his lower back and rested just above his hips; the way she nuzzled her cheek into his breastbone and took a deep breath of his scent; and the way she completely trusted him to close her eyes and lean most of her weight on him. Kyoko Himimori was too special for any one man and Harue couldn't believe he'd been lucky enough to snag her.

 _Focus, you lovesick bastard._ Harue shook his head and sighed. He had her attention now and he'd best make use of it now.

"Kyo, I get why you're so pissed off at Himimori-san, but you're not thinking about anyone else but your own hurt and anger." At this, she jerked against him and glared up at him, but he continued on with the same matter-of-fact tone. "Don't get me wrong, you deserve to feel the way you do—what Himimori-san did wasn't exactly one of her greatest ideas, and keeping a secret like that for so long was bound to resurface eventually. She should've told you what really happened that night once you were older, but the fact of the matter is: Himimori-san decided to continue to keep both of you in the dark."

She interrupted him with soft wail, "I don't understand _why—_ "

Harue leaned down until their foreheads touched and breathed, "I'm getting to that, Kyo, don't worry." He brushed his lips against her nose before returning to his full height. "Feeling betrayed and anger and hurt are normal when you find out the person you love the most has been lying to you this whole time. It's normal, but you and everyone else don't ask one important question: Why? You don't ponder the possible reasons _why_ they would lie or keep secrets from you. Instead, you rage and cry and blame them for keeping you in the shadows—feeding you delusions that inevitably bring you nothing but sorrow.

"You _refuse_ to see it from the liar's perspective—from _Himimori-san's perspective_. Why would she—the one person who has loved and protected you as fiercely as any mother bear— _lie_ to you and Ami-chan? Your parents, from what I understand, were kind and loved each other deeply—they _adored_ all of you as well. Perhaps Himimori-san only wanted Kyo and Ami-chan to remember the happy times—to only see their mother and father as the adoring parents they were. She didn't want you to question whether they truly loved you or have misconceptions of their relationships—especially after Himimori-san was assaulted. You needed those memories, Kyo. You needed that delusion she created."

Kyo's hands fisted in his leather jacket and her teeth visibly clenched together as she stared hard at him. Her eyes glazed over and he did not look away from her face—did not shy away from her odd gift or the way her arms tightened around his waist. With her eyes still unseeing of the physical world, she grounded out, "So, you think Nee-chan did the right thing by lying to us?"

Harue was already shaking his head before the last word ended in a near hiss. "No, Kyo. I don't think hiding the truth from you was the right the decision, but it may have been the only choice she had at the time. She'd already lost so much, Kyo—she didn't want to inflict any more pain on her sisters."

"And how do you know? You weren't there when she—when she almost killed herself! You weren't there when she screamed in her sleep and wailed and had panic attacks! You don't _know_ what it was like dealing with Nee-chan's broken spirit and losing our parents!" She pulled away from him, tears in her clouded eyes, and slapped his chest as hard as she could. Her voice cracked as she wailed, _"You don't understand what it was like wondering if Nee-chan would still be alive the next morning!"_

She slammed her hands against his chest, hitting him repeatedly as she sobbed until he grabbed both of her wrists mid-air and pulled her against him again. Desperately she tried to escape his hold, but Harue crushed her against him, refusing to let her suffer alone no matter how hard she hit him or screamed at him to leave her alone. What she needed the most was a hug and comforting words—something to let her know that the scars would eventually scab over again.

Harue murmured into her ear as she continued to cry against his leather jacket and shirt. His fingers weaved through her chocolate locks while his other hand rubbed soothing circles along her back. All he could say over and over again was, "You're not alone", "I'm here", and "You'll heal again". Because Kyo would heal again and make sense of not only her feelings but Himimori-san's reasons behind her secrets.

Kyoko Himimori was the light that they all needed in this fucked up world and Harue knew her sister desperately needed this healing glow. He only hoped that Kyo would hear her sister's pleas and not abandon her yet.

"I know it sucks and it hurts, Kyo," Harue breathed into her ear as she sniffled, "but old wounds heal and eventually become scars. They'll always reopen and bring pain, but _you_ can make them scab over again."

Her breath hitched in a throaty chuckle and she peeked at him through a mixed curtain of burgundy and black. Sharp green eyes met burning gold. "What kind of analogy is that?"

"A good one." His lips pulled into a half-smirk as he swooped down to capture her lips. She leaned completely into him and reached up to cradle his face with her palm. When they pulled away for air, his mouth completed his trademark smirk. "I never thought my kisses could pull you out of a rage-induced coma. I'll have to remember that for later."

Kyo refrained from snorting at him as she wiped her runny nose on her sleeve. "Shut up. I'm still kinda pissed at Nee-chan, but…I'm willing to talk to her now."

"At this point, Kyo, I think that's all she wants."

"Well, she's going to get an earful first." Kyo moved away from him again, but grasped his hand to pull him along.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked curiously, "Where're you taking me?"

Without missing a beat, she glanced over her shoulder, a wicked look in her eyes, and purred, "My room."

His heart stuttered and his eyes blazed with such a burning lust that he was sure she'd be frightened, but instead she picked up the pace and nearly dragged him into the mansion.


End file.
